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PUBLICATIONS 

OF  THE 

NORTH  CAROLINA  HISTORICAL  COMMISSION 


The 
Correspondence  of  Jonathan  Worth 


COLLECTED  AND  EDITED 


J.  G.  de  ROULHAC  HAMILTON,  Ph.D. 

Alumni  Professor  of  History  in  the 
University  of  North  Carolina 


VOLUME  II 


RALEIGH: 

EDWARDS  A  BROUGHTON  PRINTING  COMPANY 
1909 


THE  NORTH  CAROLINA  HISTORICAL  COMMISSION 


J.  BRYAN  GRIMES,  Chaikman 
W.  J.  PEELE  THOMAS  W.  BLOUNT 

D.  II.  HILL  M.  C.  S.  NOBLE 


R.  D.  W.  CONNOR,  Secretary. 


Copyright  1909  by  The  North  Carolina  Historical  Commission. 


EiniATA. 

On  pages  14,  16,  21  and  22  John  V.  B()nif<n-(1  should 
be  James  V.  Bomfor(L 

On  pages  1  and  40  the  letter  dated  July  12th,  1856, 
shonld  be  Jnly  12th,  1852. 

On  pages  27  and  754  the  letter  from  W.  G.  ]\[oore, 
dated  Angust  2G,  1866,  shonld  be  Angnst  26,  1S68. 

The  letter  from  A.  Coleman,  on  pages  26)  and  6()o, 
shonld  be  from  D.   Coleman. 


V.  ^ 
CORRESPONDENCE  OF  JONATHAN  WORTH. 


o  From  W.  B.  Stipe. 

"^  Lewisville  X.  C.  Jane  30  1860. 

Enclosed  I  send  a  note  wliicdi  I  wrote  lor  one  John 
Cosby,  a  Freedman  of  your  City  which  1  hope  your  Ex- 
cellency will  contrive  [to  get]  to  him  and  excuse  me  for 
troidiling  you  with  it.      George  is  a  bricklayer  and  plas- 

_  terer  and  J  wish  to  cmjdoy  him  and  feared  if  1  wrote  to 

~   him  direct  he  might  fail  to  get  the  letter  and  your  Excel- 
lency being  the  only  man  with  whom  1  am  well  acquainted 

0    in  the  Citv  and  on  whom  I  could  relv  I  have  concluded  to 

^    trouble  you  with  it. 

He  formerly  belonged  to  the  widow  Cosby  and  lived  in 
the  west  end  of  the  city  on  a  street  leading  from  Hills- 

^  borough  Street  to  the  depot. 

^        I  was  very  happy  indeed  to  learn  that  you  are  again  a 

^    candidate  for  Governor. 

"^  The  people  in  my  section  of  the  State  are  very  well 
satistied  wath  the  able  manner  in  which  the  onerous  du- 
ties of  the  Executive  office  have  been  discharged  and  I 
have  every  reason  to  hope  that  your  support  w^ill  again  be 
almost  unanimous  with  us. 

\\  ith  my  respects  and  best  wishes  I  must  close. 


To  P.  H.  Winston. 

June  30  1866. 

Xew  views  make  me  desirous  of  official  interview  with 
you.  Can  you  come  here  by  early  train  and  be  my  guest 
during  your  stay  ? 

Kittrell's 


(500  XoKTH  Carolixa  Histokical  Co:mmissio]s-. 

From  B.  S.  Ilrdrirl: 

Washixgtox,   I).   C.   JllJl/    1,   '()(). 

Yours  of  the  2Utb  is  just  received.  I  Avill  see  in  the 
morning'  what  can  be  done  in  regard  to  the  Collectorship  at 
Wilmington.  Hnt  Inr  the  determination  of  the  Sec.  of 
the  Treasury  to  put  Fuller  in,  he  would  have  had  no 
chance.  Some  of  the  Ship  Masters  complain  that  Fuller 
and  his  deputy  are  in  the  habit  of  ''^gouging"  them,  by 
making  extra  fees,  such  as  compelling  a  man  to  take  a 
t(nii)()rarv  Eegister  when  he  could  just  as  well  issue  the 
permanent  Register  at  once. 

The  Ex.  P.  G.  is  here  but  has  not  paid  his  respects  to 
me.  The  Sentinel's  irony  about  the  most  popular  appoint- 
ment will  not  be  understood  out  of  the  State. 


To  ir.  H.  Seward} 

July  1866 
#josiahTwne?."  "Inhere  were  but  three  men  in  the  Legislature  of  this 
State  in  1860-61  who  stood  out  against  Secession  and 
every  measure  tending  to  a  disruption  of  the  Union  till 
hostilities  actually  commenced  and  even  afterwards. 
These  three  men  were  Sharpe,  of  Iredell,  who  died  last 
year,  Hon.  Josiah  Turner,  of  Orange,  and  myself.  We 
three  alone  voted  even  in  May  1861  against  the  call  of  a 
Convention  to  pass  an  ordinance  of  Secession.  The  yeas 
and  nays  called  on  all  these  questions  show  our  votes. 

After  hostilities  commenced  Turner  entered  the  army 
on  the  Southern  side,  was  severely  wounded  soon  after- 
wards and  left  the  service.  He  became  a  candidate  for  the 
Confederate  Congress,  and  in  a  district  composed  of  a 
very  large  majority  of  democrats  and  Secessionists  he  was 


^  This  letter  was  written  between  the  1st  and  3d  of  July. 


CoKKESPOIsDENCE    OF    JONATHAN    WoRTH.  661 

elected.      Tie  constantly  combatted  the  doctrine  of  Seces- 
sion and  in  the  Confederate  Congress  of  18(3^  and  1865 
constantly  nrged  a  pacification  on  the  basis  of  preserving 
the  Fnion.     lie  and  Sharpe  and  I.  were  Whigs  of  the  origi- 
nal pannel— firm — many  said — obstiiiate  in  onr  adhesion 
to  the  principles  of  that  party.     And  here  let  me  say  di- 
gressively,   as   strongly   indicative  of  the   Union  proclivi- 
ties of  I^orth  Carolina  that  the  trio  have  been  constantly 
popular  favorites  after  the  first  ebullitions  in  1861.    After 
the  close  of  the  war  Turner  filed  his  petition  for  pardon. 
He  always  in  season  and  out  of  season  denounced  the  Dem- 
ocratic party  as  the  source  from  which  Disunion  sprung. 
In  this  petition  he  went  out  of  the  way  to  assail  democ- 
racy.    Prior  to  1860  Mr.  Holden,  editor  of  the  Standard 
newspaper,  had  been  a  leading  Democrat  and  Secessionist. 
In  1860  he  abandoned  his  party  and  became  an  earnest 
advocate  for  the  preservation  of  the  Union.     The  antagon- 
ism between  Turner  and  Holden  prior  to  1860  had  been 
so  vehement  as  to  amoujit  to  personal  hatred.     After  Hol- 
den became  an  advocate  for  Union,  there  was  a  superficial 
truce  between  them.   The  Standard  even  advocated  Turner's 
election   to   the   Confederate   Congress   over   his    secession 
opponent.      The  reconciliation  was  never  Cordial.     Dur- 
ing the  latter  years  of  the  war  the     Standard    advocated 
''peace  and   Independence".      Turner  regarded  this  posi- 
tion as  mischievious,  aud  went  for  Vance  in  preference  to 
Holden  for  the  Governorship  in  1862.      Mr.   Holden  as 
Provisional   Governor  refused  to  recommend    Turner  for 
pardon,  on  the  gTound,  as  I  understand,  that  he  regarded 
his  petition   as   a   "bill   of  indictment   against   the  Demo- 
cratic party".     He  has  not  been  pardoned.     In  the  mean- 
time,  other   members  of   the   Confederate   Congress,   who 
had  been  constant   Secessionists,  were  pardoned — for   in- 
stance, Bridgers,  Arriugtou,  Venable,  Lander — and  many 
other  conspicuous  Secessionists,  all  of  Avhom  were  recom- 
mended for  pardou  I  believe,  by  Govr.  Holden. 


002  North  Carolina  Historical  Commission. 

I  believe  there  is  not  a  more  reliable  union  man  in 
North  Carolina,  than  Turner.  The  discrimination  against 
him  is  the  subject  of  much  commentary  in  the  State. 
Will  you  not  interest  yourself  and  have  his  pardoxi  issued  ? 
It  would  give  universal  satisfaction  except  to  a  few  who 
feel  pergonal  malice  against  him.  If  the  form  of  his  pe- 
tition be  the  only  obstacle,  I  will  endeavor  to  get  him  to 
withdraw  it,  if  this  be  allowable.  I  do  not  M'rite  this  let- 
ter at  his  request  or  with  his  knowledge.  I  am  pronipted 
to  do  it  by  my  regard  for  him  personally  and  politically 
and  beacuse  I  am  sure  it  would  greatly  increase  the  al- 
ready cordial  feeling  of  our  people  towards  the  President. 
The  whole  State  w^ould  bless  him  if  he  would  issue  par- 
dons of  Graham  and  Dortch — The  former  a  Union  man 
until  the  war  begim — the  latter  a  moderate  Secessionist. 
I  cannot  conceive  what  rule  of  policy  can  make  it  expedi- 
ent to  withhold  their  pardons,  after  Bridgers,  Venable,  Ar- 
rington  and  Lander  are  pardoned.  If  their  pardons  were 
issued  their  powerful  voices  will  be  raised  at  once  in  fa- 
vor of  the  national  Union  party.  Graham  ought  to  be  a 
member  of  that  Convention. 

The  courteous  manner  in  which  you  have  treated  me 
has  emboldened  me  to  obtrude  on  you  in  this  long  communi- 
cation— If  it  shall  not  meet  with  your  approval  I  shall 
regret  it.- — It  has  been  written  without  the  knowledge  of 
any  person  whatever.  If  you  deem  it  expedient  you  mav 
submit  it  to  the  perusal  of  any  body,  or  do  any  thing  with 
it  which  to  you  may  seem  proper. 

Washington,  D.   C. 


From  Charles  C.  Clark. 


Newbern,  Julij  3,  1866. 
'ed  last  mail. 

ke  any  recommendation  i 
Assessor,  because  I  have  no  acquaintance  with  the  char- 


Kegardingraiiroa.i      \  ours  of  the  1st  was  received  last  mail. 

directors  and  State 

i"^*>'-  1  am  wholly  unable  to  make  any  recommendation  for 


Correspondence  of  Jonathan  Worth.  G63 

acter  and  qualilieatioiis  of  men  who  eonld  take  the  oath 
It  does  not  matter  who  may  receive  the  appointment.  The 
oath  has  to  he  taken  and  the  people  are  indifferent  be- 
tween parties  who  can  take  it. 

Xo  dissatisfaction  that  I  know  of  exists  in  regard  to 
the  ajDpointment  of  Directors.  The  State's  proxy,  by  a 
too  exclusive  intercourse  and  cooperation  with  one  set  of 
men,  called  forth  expressions  of  discontent  as  to  his  ap- 
pointment ;  yet,  I  think,  a  little  time  will  wear  this  away. 

Having  been  confined  to  the  house  since  my  return  from 
Beaufort,  by  bilious  indisposition,  I  have  not  had  my 
usual  promiscuous  interchange  of  opinion,  and  am,  there- 
fore, ignorant  of  ''the  effect  produced  on  the  other  side." 
As  soon  as  I  am  well  enough,  I  will  advise  you  on  this 
point.  I  may  say,  however,  that,  up  to  this  time,  I  know 
of  nothing  at  all  unfavorable. 

You  represent  me  very  truly,  in  attributing  to  me  a 
disposition  to  allay  all  strife  between  rival  points  on  the 
road.  It  is  unfortunate  that  any  should  have  existed. 
The  race  of  improvement  is  pre-eminently  one  of  capi- 
tal, industry  and  enterprise  combined,  and  the  persever- 
ingly  legitimate  use  of  advantages  which  Kature  may  have 
generously  bestowed.  These,  certainly  should  not  be  fet- 
tered, or  restricted,  or  destroyed,  by  unjust  discrimina- 
tion, but  should  be  put  upon  the  same  footing,  governed 
by  the  same  rules  and  stimulated  by  the  same  fostering 
regulations.  This  is  all  we  ask,  and  this  we  are  willing 
to  give.  I  am  satisfied  that  none  of  the  j)i'esent  Directors, 
whether  appointed  or  elected,  will  ever  be  justly  amenable 
to  the  charge  of  sectionalism. 

I  am  strongly  sympathetic  with  you.  Governor,  in  the  opposing  concilia- 

•     •  J.1      .     .  1  "^  1  •   1  /  1  1  **0"  <-'f  the  oppo- 

opinion  tnat  tne  good  men  with  whom  we  have  been  ac-  sition. 
customed  to  co-operate  so  harmoniously  in  time  past,  but 
who  from  mistaken  patriotism  and  great  timidity  of  pur- 
pose, voted  for  Holden  in  the  last  election,  should  be  con- 
ciliated by  all  the  legitimate  means  in  our  power — that  is. 
if  "conciliate"  be  the  right  word.     But  do  they  need    con- 


664  ISToRTH  Carolixa  Historical  Commission. 

ciliatioii  ?     They  acted  iindcr  the  temporary  pressure  of 
what  they  deemed  to  be  the  only  wise     policy,     and     re- 
Inetantly  applied  their  hands  to  a  work  whidi  did  not  en- 
iiage  their  hearts.     They  voted  for  Holdcii     from     what 
some  conceived  to  he  a  childish  fear  of  the  consequences 
of  his  defeat ;  and  thus  influenced  and  controlled  by  their 
fears  alone,  they  avowedly  surrendered     their     cherished 
principles — but  oiilij  for  fJiat  occasion  which,  with  them, 
was  the  turning  point  in  our  fate.    W(>11,  that  occasion  has 
passed — their     fears     have     been     dissipated — and     the 
dreaded  consequences  have  not  been  realized.    Where  then 
do  they  stand  noir?     To  be  sure  if  they  are  good  men,  and 
are  to  be  relied  on  (and  T  have  no  reason  to  believe  other- 
Avise)  they  are  already  A\ithin     the     fold, — not     coming 
''home,"  but  already  seated  in  the  old  family  mansion.     Is 
not  this  necessarily  the  position  of  the  good  men,  who  do 
not  encourage,  affiliate  or  sympathize  with,  openly  or  se- 
cretly, that  other  class  whom  you  appropriately  style  Radi- 
cals, represented  probably  by  old  Gahagan   in  the  AVest 
and  Lewis  Thompson  in  the  East  ?     The  great  difficulty 
with  me  is  to  draw  the  line  of  demarcation  between  these 
two  classes.     The  South  has  had,  as  yet,  no  opportunity  to 
]5rove  itself  by  its  works.     The  Convention,  we  all  know, 
exhibited  but  few,  very  few,  indications  of  any  change  for 
the  better,  having  been  Holdenish  in  the  beginning,  and 
having  remained  so  to  its  final   adjournment.      Hence  it 
was  that  I  was  opposed  to  perhaps  unwillingly  sustaining 
radicalism  in  any  conceivable     shape,     whether     openly 
avowed,   or   secretly   fondled,   and  believed  that  the   cir- 
cumstance not  only  justified,  but  called  for  the  applica- 
tion oi  the  axe  to  the  very  tap  root  of  the  evil.      If  some 
comely  l)ranches  should  adorn  the  fall  of  the  tree,  Avhy 
such  comely  branches  had  no  business  being  engrafted  on 
such  a  trunk,  or  growing  in  such  dangerous  proximity  to 
its  i-carred  and  knotty  lindjs. 

'Tis  these  radicals  that  I  would     conciliate — but     not 


COKEESPO^NTBEXCE    OF    JoA^ATHAN    WoKTH.  665 

with  their  arms  in  their  hands.  As  lone'  as  they  shout 
erneifv  us,  and  would  infamously  deprive  us  of  privi- 
leges incident  to  free  institutions,  and  inherent  in 
American  citizenship,  just  so  long  I  would  nuike  them 
feel  that  the  wav  of  the  transgressor  is  hard,  and  that  there 
is  no  peace  for  the  wicked.  These  are  the  men  who  either 
denounce,  or  encourage  the  denunciation  of,  yourself,  and 
humble  men  of  like  faith  and  ])ractice,  as  'Secessionists', 
the  latter  day  war  saints,  etc.,  etc.,  These  are  the  men 
who  seize  upon  every  nomination  of  a  secessionist,  or  se- 
cretly encourage  others  to  elo  so,  to  weaken  you,  and  dam- 
age the  State.  I  would  slay  them  until  they  threw  elown 
their  arms  anel  begged  for  quarter — and  then  I  would 
conciliate  them  as  every  true  ]>enitent  is  conciliated,  by  be- 
stowing favors  which  should  be  emphatically  the  off- 
shoots of  Free  Grace.  But  if  they  elemanded  favor — I'el 
give  them  the  knife.  If  they  crieel  for  mercy — I  would 
shower  suitalile  blessings  rm  their  miserable  heads.  And 
all  this  too  for  the  good  of  the  people  anel  the  safety  of 
the  State. 

However.  Governor,  in  these  matters  you  had  an  ample 
opportunity  of  correctly  juelging:  and,  if  I  know  myself, 
I  would  certainly  suborelinate  all  minor  consideratieuis  to 
the  success  of  real  concservative  princi]:)les,  of  which  you 
are  undoubtedly  the  representative  num. 

Respectfully  tenelering  you  reneweel  assurances  of  my 
friendliest  esteem  anel  res-arels, 


To  B.  S.  Hechicl: 

Raleigh  Juhj  J,ih  ISdO. 
The  extreme  pressure  upon  my  time  puts  it  out  of  my 
])ower  to  answer  all  your  interesting  letters. 

The  agitations  to  get  uj)  opposition  to  me  have  thus  far  Failure  to  organize 
proved  failures.      The  latest  which  seems,  as  1  inter  Irom 


666 


XoRTH  Carolina  Historical  Commission. 


Holden  and  the 
President. 


Opinion  as  to  the 
adoption  of  the 
14th  amendment. 


the  last  standard,  is  still  under  advisement — to-wit,  the 
running  of  a  straight  Secessionist  for  Govr.  and  a  Hol- 
den man  per  se,  as  Lt.  Govr.  The  men  they  purpose  to 
use  for  this  purpose  are  Genl.  Mat.  Ransom  and  R.  P. 
])ick.  I  have  no  information  warranting  the  belief  that 
either  of  these  gentlemen  would  assent  to  the  arrangement. 
My  information  tends  to  the  contrary.  The  mere  pro- 
posal of  such  a  combination  is  indicative  of  miitinious  des- 
peration. 

I  am  anxious  to  hear  the  effect  of  Holden's  mission  to 
Washington.  It  is  surprising  to  me  that  so  shrewd  a  man 
as  the  President  should  not  before  now  have  comprehended 
Holden.  I  think  he  is  still  a  favorite  of  the  president, 
and  that  he  retains  power  to  jaundise  the  president's  mind 
against  me  and  Graham  and  Turner  and  all  the  other 
true  Union  men  of  the  State.  It  astonishes  me  that  the 
Prest.  does  not  understand  and  despise  his  malicious  cun- 
ning and  ignoble  sycophancy. 

I  regard  the  proposed  J^ational  Convention  at  Phila- 
del]3hia  as  affording  some  ho])e  of  returning  sanity  in  the 
nation. 

If  three  fourths  of  the  .States  adopt  the  Howard  amend- 
ment to  the  Constitution  it  may  restore  a  worthless  Union. 
It  would  be  a  re-rnion  with  mutual  detestation  and  abhor- 
rence between  the  lately  alienated  people,  ^o  Southern 
State,  where  the  people  are  free  to  vote,  Avill  adopt  it.  If 
we  are  to  be  degraded  we  Avill  i-ftain  some  self-esteem  by 
not  making  it  self-abasement.  It  excludes  from  public 
confidence  not  only  such  men  as  Hanes,  and  Bat.  Moore. 
John  Pool,  Pc.  P.  Dick,  Jo.  Turner,  etc. — but  every  man 
who  as  a  justice  of  the  peace,  constable,  Post  Master,  etc., 
may  have  taken  the  oath  to  support  the  Constitution  of 
the  U.  S.,  while  it  admits  to  office  the  most  violent  Seces- 
sionists who  may  have  taken  up  arms  and  fought  through 
the  war  against  the  Union  provided  he  had  held  no  posi- 
tion prior  to  the  war  whereby  he  had  taken  the  oath  to 


COKRESPONDENCE    OF    JONATHAN    WoRTH.  G67 

support  the  Constitution  of  the  U,  S. — I  would  submit  to 
conliscation  or  any  other  calamity  which  brute  force  can 
impose  before  I  would  be  guilty  of  the  self-degradation  of 
voting  for  this  amendment.  The  dispensing  power  re- 
tained for  two  thirds  of  Congress  is  the  most  destable  fea- 
ture of  the  scheme.  Honoralde  men  could  not  get  a  dis- 
pensation from  a  Congress  evidently  under  the  lead  of 
Thad.  Stephens.  Only  sycophants  and  men  mean 
enough  to  seek  thrift  by  fawning,  could  obtain  the  dispen- 
sation. If  we  were  voluntarily  to  adojDt  this  amendment 
I  think  we  would  be  the  meanest  and  most  despicable  peo- 
ple on  earth,  ^"obody  in  this  State  that  I  have  heard  of, 
except  a  few  Holden  men  per  se,  will  vote  for  it. 

I  thank  you  most  cordially  for  your  successful  efforts 
in  obtaining  pardons.  I  will  cull  out  a  small  list,  accord- 
ing to  your  suggestions,  soon,  and  send  it  on. — If  the 
Prest.  would  pardon  Turner,  Graham  and  Dorteh,  all  of 
which  he  ought  to  grant  without  a  moment's  hesitation,  af- 
ter pardoning  Bridgers,  Arrington,  Lander  and  Venable. 
he  would  be  more  popular  in  this  State  than  anybody  has 
been  since  the  days  of  Genl  Washington.  The  withhold- 
ing of  these  pardons  is  a  political  blunder.  It  is  never 
expedient  to  do  wrong. 

AVashixgtox,  D.  C. 


To  D.  D.  Ferehee."- 

Raleigh,  July  5  18GG. 
I  am  called  upon  bv  the  Sec.  of  the  Treasurv  to  rec-  Regarding  Federal 

-^  "^  "^       ,  appointments. 

ommend  a  fit  man,  who  can  take  the  oath,  as  assessor  in  the 
first  Internal  Revenue  District,  being  the  same  as  the 
first  Congressional  District. 


'  Dennis  D.  Ferebee,  of  Camden,  was  a  Whig  lawyer,  and  after  tlie 
war  a  Democrat.  He  was  a  member  of  the  House  of  Commons  from 
]846  to  1850,  and  from  1856  to  1862.  He  was  also  a  member  of  the 
convention  of  1865. 


068  XoKTii  Carolina  Historical  Cu:mmission. 

As  this  a})poiiitiiieiit  M'ill  be  conferred  on  a  Yankee, 
if  a  suita))le  citizen  of  the  State  be  not  recommended  and 
as  Mr.  Stubbs,  vonr  member  of  Congress  is  at  a  })oint 
where  I  cannot  communicate  with  him  for  want  of  mail 
facilities,  I  trouble  you  for  a  suggestion.  ]^one  of  our 
citizens  who  remained  at  home  during  the  war  and  who 
have  the  proper  regard  for  the  sanctity  of  an  (»atli  (ex- 
cepting the  (Quakers  whose  religion  forbids  them  to  take 
any  part  in  war)  can  take  the  teste  oath.  1  am  persuaded 
you  might  get  the  consent  of  some  competent  Quaker  to 
aec(-])t  who  would  not[  C]  make  a  good  officer  without  being 
odious  to  yr  people.  If  you  prefer  to  have  nothing  to  do 
in  the  matter  let  me  hear  at  once.  I  deem  it  expedient  to 
recommend  some  Xorth  Cai'olinian. 

South  Mills. 


Tu  JniDcs  P.  Foster. 

IIa LEIGH.  Jiilij  5  18G6. 
Regarding  Federal      Mv  course  in  relation  to  all  a])iioiutments  bv  the  JJ.  S. 

appomtmcDts.  '  _  '  . 

govt,  in  this  State  is  to  recommend  no  one,  except  with  the 
approval  of  the  people  amongst  whom  his  duties  are  to  be 
performed.  The  merchants  of  AVilmington  unmistakably 
desire  the  appointment  of  Savage.  I  can  recommend  no 
other.  As  between  you  and  Fuller,  with  the  light  now  be- 
fore me,  I  prefer  you.  As  to  recommending  you  for  As- 
sessor for  the  1st  District,  I  cannot  do  it  until  the  wishes 
of  the  people  of  the  district  shall  have  been  ascertained. 
If  you  can  get  the  recommendation  of  the  member  elected 
to  represent  that  district  in  Congress  I  will  be  glad  to  en- 
dorse it — or  to  recommend  yr  a]i|)oiutm('nt.  In  nuiking 
these  recommendations  I  must  have  regard  to  the  wishes 
of  the  people  among  whom  the  officer  is  to  act. 
Hudson.  X.  Y. 


CoREESPO^'DENCE    OF    JoNATPIAN    WoKTII.  009 

To  Lewis  llanes. 

Raleigh,  J ulij  -jIIi   hS(;(j. 

I  could  not  discreetly  demand  pledges  of  Directors  as  to 
their  choice  of  Prest.  I  aj^pointed  Eoherts  at  vonr  sng- 
gestion.  I  hope  you  Avill  induce  him  to  vote  for  Turner. 
I  think  Means,  Gilmer,  Moore  and  Berry  are  certain  for 
Turner.  I  dont'  knoAV  how  Boyden,  Roberts  and  Strange 
will  vote,  but  I  think  all  of  them  will  go  for  Turner  who, 
I  believe  to  be  a  fitter  man  than  his  competitor. 

Salisbuey. 


To  J.  M.  Coffin. 

Raleigh^  JiiJi/  5  186<j. 

In  engineering  to  give  a  good  director  to  your  road  Railroad  directors, 
and  at  the  same  time  avoiding  political  quicksands  we 
have  appointed  as  State  Directors,  Ro.  Strange,  Wilming- 
ton, Berry  and  Jo.  Turner,  Orange — ]\Ioore,  Alamance, — 
Gilmer,  Guilford,  B.  B.  Roberts,  Davidson,  Boyden — 
Rowan,  and  Means — Cabarrus — and  yourself  State  proxy 
— two  democrats- — the  rest  old  Whigs — All  Johnson  men. 
It  leaves  no  appointee  of  Ilolden  except  Boyden,  whom  H. 
appointed  from  policy  and  not  because  he  was  a  follower 
of  Holdenism.  You  will  see  that  Wake  k  Jolinston  got 
no  director.  This  will  be  imputed  to  the  fact  that  these 
were  Ilolden  Counties.  It  did  not  happen  from  this  cause. 
I  wish  to  make  amends  to  Wake  by  appointing  Rufus 
Tucker  of  this  City  on  your  Com.  of  Finance.  He  is 
eminently  competant — was  an  old  director  turned  out  by 
Holden.  He  will  be  satisfied  if  put  on  this  Committee. 
Be  sure  to  manage  this. 

Salisbury. 


670  North  CarolixVa  Historical  Commission. 

Frotn  J  OS  i  ah  Turner,  Jr. 

IIiLT.sBOKo  July  5ih  1866. 

1  wrote  vitu  a  liui-ried  letttr  yesterday  as  the  mail 
closed.  I  trouble  you  with  this  for  fear  you  did  not  re- 
ceived yesterday's  letter. 

Our  jail  is  insecure — in  fact  no  jail  at  all.  It  contains 
two  great  scamps  who  have  stolen  horses,  entered  houses, 
etc.     They  were  arrested  last  week. 

My  letter  yesterday  contained  the  names  of  the  ma- 
jority of  the  Magistrates  who  ask  for  the  special  term — 
noiv  asking  that  you  do  not  grant  it  because  the  trial  will 
be  moved  to  another  county.  The  prisoners  have  entered 
houses  in  every  part  of  this  country  and  I  would  not 
think  of  trying  here.  Every  Magistrate  that  I  saw  who 
had  petitioned  for  the  court  joined  in  asking  that  the 
court  he  not  ordered. 

They  did  not  know  when  they  petitioned  for  the  court 
that  I  would  move  the  trial. 

Please  inform  me  or  the  Clerk  of  the  Court  whether  you 
determine  for  or  against  the  Special  Term  that  we  may 
have  the  prisoners  sent  to  a  securer  jail. 

Here  they  are  guarded  which  will  add  much  to  the 
cost. 


To  Colonel  James  ^yren. 

Raleigh,  July  6/66. 

Asking  reason  for        Atter  a  loug  life  of  intimate  political  and  personal  re- 
change  of  attitude,  i      •  .  ,  . 

lations  with  you,  cordial,  as  I  believe  on  both  sides,  I  am 

l)ained  to  believe  that  by  some  means,  to  me  unaccount- 
able, I  have  forfeited  your  confidence. — What  have  I  done 
to  produce  this  change.  I  hear  you  participated  in  the 
meeting  a  feAv  days  ago  at  Long's  Mills,  which  nominated 
Holden  for  Govr.  I  was  not  surprised  at  the  course  of 
Dr.  Sellars.     He  published  over  his  name  in  the  Stand- 


Correspondence  of  Jonathan  Worth.  671 

ard  last  Fall  a  wilful  life  to  defeat  my  election.  I  never 
look  for  kindness  or  justice  from  one  who  has  done  me 
wilful  injury.  That  an  old  friend  of  your  stable  views 
in  political  matters  should  prefer  one  over  me  who  has 
done  more  than  anybody,  in  this  State  to  inculcate  seces- 
sion and  sectionalism,  greatly  surprised  me.  I  think  you 
must  be  laboring  under  some  strange  mistaken  in  reference 
to  me.  Is  it  asking  too  much  of  you,  as  an  old  friend, 
to  explain  w^hat  it  is  that  I  have  done  which  has  changed 
your  views  in  relation  to  me  ? 

Teoy^s  Stoke. 


To  B.  S.  Iledvlclc. 

Raleigh  Jidy  6th   1866. 

Hon.  J.  Turner,  as  he  is  both  nnpardoneel  and  un-recog- 
nized  as  a  member  of  Congress,  eleclines  to  recommend  any 
one  as  a  Cadet  to  West  Point.  He  says  there  is  no  one 
more  worthy  than  Perrin  Busbee.  Can  the  thing  be  man- 
aged without  the  aid  of  Mr.  Turner's  signature  ?  How 
much  mischief  will  Holelen  elo  me  and  the  State  in  Wash- 
ington ?  He  seems  to  be  still  in  the  confidence  of  the 
President,  and  of  Mr.  Seward,  as  I  hear. 

Washington,  J).  C. 


To  General  J.  C.  Bobinson. 

Raleigh,  Jidt/  6th  1S66. 

Your  communication  in  relation  to  the  alleged  murder 
of  Henrv'  Calicotte,  Corporal  in  2Sth  Michigan  Infantry, 
by  one  ITathan  W.  Roberts,  inquiring  "whether  any  in- 
dictment had  been  found  against  the  murderer  or  any 
steps  taken  by  the  civil  authorities  to  bring  him  to  justice" 
has  been  received. 

Having  no  information  personal  or  official  in  relation 


(57'J  XORTH    CAKOLI^^A    HISTORICAL    CoM.MISSION. 

m  the  subject  oi  vour  iiiquirv,  1    have  taken     the     step- 
deemed  necessary  to  get   at  the  facts  in  relation  to  the 
-uliji-et  and  will  answer  as  soon  as  T  shall  have  received 
a  report. 
Raleigh. 


To  ^V.  T.  FaircJoth.' 

Kaleigh  •//////  (itJt   ISOfj. 

I  herewith  inclose  to  you  a  copy  of  a  communication 
reed  yesterday  from  Genl.  Robinson,  military  Comman- 
dant of  the  State. 

Please  enable  me  to  answer  the  inquir3^  The  object  is 
obvious.  If  no  action  has  been  taken  by  our  authorities 
])lease  explain  why  such  action  was  not  taken.  Was  an 
inquest  held  ?     If  so  what  was  the  report  of  the  jury? 

GoLDSBOEO,  ]Sr.  C. 


To  Hugh  McCulloch. 

Raleigh,  July  7tJi  1866. 

I  addressed  a  letter  on  the  16th  ult.  to  the  Asst.  Sec. 
Hon.  AV.  S.  Chandler,  in  response  to  one  from  him  in 
regard  to  Capt.  Charles  Emery,  in  which  I  stated  that 
u])on  inquiry  of  Hon.  X.  Boy  den,  I  was  satisfied  that 
Capt.  E.  was  a  very  intelligent  gentleman  of  most  excel- 
lent character. 

Capt.  Emery  tells  me  that  this  letter  was  not  received, 
or  had  not  been  received   when   he  left  Washington.      I 


'  W.  T.  Faircloth,  of  Wayne,  had  been  a  lawyer  before  the  war. 
"When  the  war  began  he  volunteered  and  rose  to  the  rank  of  captain. 
He  was  a  member  of  the  convention  of  1865,  and  of  the  legislature 
of  1865.  He  was  until  1868  Solicitor  of  the  Third  Judicial  District.  In 
1875  he  was  elected  to  the  constitutional  convention,  and  after  that 
adjourned,  Governor  Brogden  appointed  him  a  Justice  of  the  Supreme 
Court. 


CoRRESPOXDElSrCE    OF    JoiS^ATHAN    WoRTII.  673 


therefore  take  the  occasion  to  repeat  what  I  then  wrote, 
and  to  state  further  that  I  believe  Capt.  Emery  is  avcII 
qualified  for  any  position  in  the  gift  of  the  govemn)ent  in 
this  State. 

Washixgtox,  D.  C. 


From  B.  8.  Hechick. 

Washixgton,  D.  C.  July  8,  1866. 

I  have  just  received  yours  of  the  6th  inst. 

At  present  there  are  three  vacancies  for  X.  C.  at  West  ^.^^'^^,^\°^7^^:*^°: 

i  cies  at  \v  est  roint. 

Point.  These  I  think  will  be  filled  on  or  before  August 
20,  next.  Xext  year  there  will  be  four  more  vacancies. 
Those  there  now  charged  to  X.  C.  are  all  non  residents. 
They  will  graduate  next  year. 

The  Districts  that  are  vacant  now  are  the  1st,  2nd  and 
6th.  But  as  none  are  filled  by  North  Carolinians  I  see 
little  reason  why  one  district  rather  than  another  .diould 
have  the  vacancies,  so  it  is  all  made  right  in  the  end. 
What  I  would  recommend  is  that  you  select  the  three 
young  men  that  you  prefer  to  fill  the  vacancies.  Write  a 
letter  to  the  President  (a  simple  formal  letter)  recom- 
mending the  three  preferred.  As  Mr.  Turner  wall  not 
nominate,  perhaps  Col.  Walkup  wnll  rcconnnend  Mr.  Bus- 
bee.  I  do  not  know^  that  it  is  absolutely  necessary  to  have 
the  endorsement  of  the  M.  C.  but  from  what  Col.  Cooper 
said  I  believe  it  will  be  best.  Mr.  Busbee  had  better  try 
to  get  in  no'W.  The  system  is  to  be  changed  next  year  and 
each  M.  C.  will  then  nominate  five,  and  a  selection  of  one 
will  be  made  by  the  War  Dept.  This  year  the  competitive 
system  will  not  be  applied. 

If  Walkup  recommend  Mr.  Busbee  it  will  be  better 
than  Mr,  Turner's  recommendation,  for  Walkup  repre- 
sents the  6th  Dist.  to  which  one  of  the  vacancies  is  marked. 
Vol.  2—2 


674  ^'OKTII     CaKOLIXA    lilSTOKICAL    COMMISSION. 

Have  you  recommended  any  one  for  the  2nd  Dist  ?  Dr. 
Arendell's  son.  Willie  L.  ha?  made  a])])lieation  and  some 
of  his  friends  have  written  me  on  the  subject  of  nroinu' 
his  aj)pointm(nt.  I  have  however  done  nothing,  as  I  wish 
in  this  matter  to  act  in  perfect  concert  with  you. 

If  the  members  of  Congress  elect  decline  to  nominate, 
on  the  grounds  named  by  Mr.  Turner,  then  state  the  fact 
in  the  letter  to  the  President  that  you  consulted  them. 
But  be  sure  to  send  on  as  soon  as  convenient  a  letter  nam- 
ing three  young  men  for  the  three  vacancies  now  existing. 
Of  course  young  Bagley  and  Busbee  wall  be  two  of  them, 
and  let  the  other  be  the  one  you  prefer,  who  if  he  reside"' 
in  the  2nd  Dist  that  wall  be  in  his  favor.  But  in  this  gen- 
eral letter  of  recommendation  it  w^ould  be  best  to  say  noth- 
ing about  Districts.  For  no  matter  what  Districts  get 
places  now,  the  others  will  make  it  up  next  summer. 


From  B.  S.  He d rid'. 

Wasiiixgtox,  D.  C.  July  8,  1866. 
infliieiK'L-  of  I  received  vesterdav  vours  oi  Julv  -ith  and  but  for  want 

Holilea.  _  "^  .         "^    '        . 

of  time  would  write  a  special  reply.  I  do  not  take  so  dark 
a  view  of  matters  as  you  do,  but  can  freely  admit  that 
there  is  good  groiind  to  fear  all  that  you  apprehend.  So 
little  has  been  done  to  enlighten  public  opinion  in  N.  C. 
on  the  leading  questions  of  the  da^^,  and  the  power  which 
Holden  and  the  Charlatan  class  of  ISTorthern  men  that  look 
to  him  as  a  convenient  tool  has  done  the  State  infinite 
damage.  But  I  still  believe  that  there  is  enough  good 
sense  in  the  State  to  govern  it,  and  to  retrieve  the  past. 
I  believe  now  that  N^.  C.  notwithstanding  all  Holden's 
Jeremiads  is  better  off  and  presents  a  more  hopeful  state 
of  things  than  any  other  Southern  State. 

In   regard  to   Holden's   position   here,   I   cannot   speak 


CoRRESPONDE]S:CE    OF    Jo2vATlIAX    WoKTH.  675 

positively,  but  I  do  not  believe  it  amounts  to  anything. 
The  only  time  that  Holden  was  really  dangerous  was  last 
Dec.  when  he  was  moving  Heaven  and  Earth  to  have  the 
election  set  aside  and  himself  retained  as  Governor.  Hav- . 
ing  failed  in  that,  he  lost  his  best  chance.  The  President 
I  j'ulge  rather  pities  him.  Having  taken  him  up,  the 
President  does  not  care  to  openly  repudiate  him,  and  I 
think  the  sending  of  Holden's  nomination  to  the  Senate 
vas  really  a  shrewd  move  of  the  President.  But  if  the 
Senate  confirm  him,  they  must  stop  all  talk  about  appoint- 
ing red  handed  traitors,  for  of  all  the  President's  former 
appointments  Holden  is  the  biggest  rebel.  If  Holden  is 
rejected,  the  mischievious  faction  of  officeseekers,  of  which 
he  is  the  head,  will  meet  with  a  deserved  rebuke.  So 
taken  at  any  way  I  think  good  and  not  evil  will  result.  The 
nomination  I  think  was  procured  through  the  influence  of 
Powell  with  Seward.  Seward  has  always  stood  up  for 
Holden. 

ITolden  is  still  here  I  believe.  Vance  left  yesterday  for 
home.  If  I  have  a  little  time  to  spare  during  the  week 
I  will  see  some  of  the  members  of  Congress  and  find  out 
what  Holden  has  been  doing.  But  my  opinion  is  that  he 
spends  more  time  among  sensation  newspaper  reporters, 
getting  up  dispatches  to  pass  as  public  opinion,  than  he 
does  in  consulting  with  leading  men  of  any  party. 

How  does  Lewis  Hanes  get  on  Avith  his  paper  'I  I  sel- 
dom see  Hane's  paper  and  only  occasionally  I  get  the 
Standard.  Hanes  is  just  the  man  to  handle  articles  like 
Holden's  leader  of  July  3rd,  when  he  urges  Ransom  to 
run  for  Gov.  It  is  too  long  before  election  to  commence 
the  canvas  in  earnest,  but  now  is  the  time  to  watch  the 
movements  of  the  enemy. 

Strong  efforts  will  be  made  to  detach  Guilford  Co.  from 
your  support  on  account  of  the  appointment  of  J.  A. 
Gilmer,  Jr.,  and  Jas.  T.  Morehead,  Jr.  There  are  some 
of  the  union  men  in  that  county  and  Randolph,  that  have 
been  exceedingly  impracticable.     But  I  think  the  trouble 


676  XoHTu  Caruijna  Historical  Commission. 

has  been  more  the  want  of  a  good  newspaper.  Hanes 
eonld  edit  a  paper  that  would  eoniiiiand  the  respect  of  the 
])ul»lie  of  those  counties. 


To  Tyre  York. 

Raleigh  July  Uth  ISGO. 
Rcgardinghis  Yours  of  the  lOth  ult.  is  recd.     I  am  e'ratitied  to  learn 

campiaigTi  for  '^ 

re-election.  from  it  that  YOU  think  a  majority  of  the  people  of  ^Yilkes 

will  go  for  my  re-election  as  Govr.  this  Fall.  I  attribute 
my  slender  vote  last  Fall  to  the  fact  that  in  the  short  time 
after  the  announcement  of  my  name,  the  gTeat  body  of 
your  people  had  not  time  to  be  correctly  informed  as  to 
the  political  record  of  myself  and  my  competitor — and  to 
the  delusion  that  his  election  was  essential  to  retaining  the 
favor  of  the  Prest,  and  restoration  to  the  Union.  These 
delusions  have  passed  away.  I  have  always  stood  on  the 
Union,  Henry  Clay  platform  to  which  Wilkes  has  adhered. 
For  long  years  my  competitor  labored  to  foster  Sectional- 
ism and  Secession.  Upon  every  principle  of  consistency  I 
ought  to  have  received  the  support  of  Wilkes,  and  am 
gratified,  that  upon  better  information  I  am  likely  to  re- 
ceive it  at  the  coming  election. 

To  show  your  people  how  I  stood  at  the  beginning  of 
our  troubles  I  send  you  a  copy  of  a  circular  I  addressed 
to  my  constitutents  in  January  1861,   before  any  public 
man  in  the  State  took  the  ground. 
Trap  Hill. 


To  Andrew  Johnson. 

Raleigh  July  10  1866. 
mlion^^^^  Being  intensely  anxious  for  the  success  of  your  policy 

because  I  believe  it  identical  wdth  the  ^vell  being  of  the 
nation,  I  venture  some  suggestions  to  you  at  the  risk  o£ 


COREESPOISTDENCE    OF    JONATHAN    WoRTH.  677 

being  deemed  obtrusive,  in  relation  to  the  pardons  of 
three  distinguished  individuals  of  this  State.  I  know 
vou  have  a  much  wider  iield  of  observation,  than  I  have, 
but  your  conclusions  on  this  wide  field  must  be  made  up 
from  your  knowledge  of  facts.  I  fear  in  the  multitude  of 
your  cares  some  inconsistencies,  as  they  appear  to  the  people 
of  Korth  Carolina,  in  the  exercise  of  the  pardoning  power, 
may  have  escaped  your  attention.  Four  memliers  of  the 
Confederate  Congress,  known  here  as  original  Seces- 
sionists, to-wit,  Venable,  Arrington,  Bridgers  and  Lander 
have  been  very  properly  pardoned.  I  entertain  no  doubt 
as  to  their  purpose  to  obey  the  laws  and  Constitution  of 
the  United  States  and  that  a  Union,  worth  preseiwing,  re- 
quires that  such  men  be  treated  with  the  gracious  mag- 
nanamity  you  have  exhibited  towards  them:  but  while 
these  are  pardoned,  I  am  ignorant  of  any  principle  of 
equity  or  policy  which  warrants  the  withholding  of  a  par- 
don from  Graham,  Dortch  and  Jo.  Turner.  The  discrim- 
ination attracts  universal  attention  in  this  State.  Your 
friends  believe  they  are  withheld  from  legitimate  policy 
until  a  more  propitious  season.  I  think  the  propitious 
season  has  arrived.  You  must  be  aware  that  Gov.  Gra- 
ham is  by  far  the  most  popular  man  in  this  State,  both 
on  account  of  the  purity  of  his  personal  character,  his 
talents  and  the  confidence  of  our  people  in  his  patriotism. 
He  opposed  disunion  and  secession  till  war  had  actually 
commenced.  Turner  carried  his  opposition  still  further. 
As  a  Senator  he  voted  against  the  ordinance  of  Secession 
in  May  1861, — and  at  the  same  Session  Dortch  was 
elected  a  Senator  in  the  Confederate  Congress,  the  Union 
members  voting  for  him  as  less  obnoxious  than  the  other 
candidates  from  among  whom  the  selection  had  to  be 
made.  It  is  well  known  that  Graham  and  Turner,  as 
members  of  the  Confederate  Congress  desired  and  b(>- 
lieved  Mr.  Stephens  and  his  associates  invested  with  })Ower 
to  treat  at  Fortress  Monroe  for  peace  on  the  basis  of  re- 
stored Union.     Those  facts  being  notorious  in  this  State. 


678 


XoKTH  Carolina  Historical  Commission. 


the  opinion  is  nnivcrsal  and  strong,  that  these  gentlemen 
ought  to  be  pardoned,  excepting  a  very  inconsiderable 
nnniber  of  personal  enemies.  Nothing  would  so  warm  np 
the  people  of  this  State  to  be  represented  in  the  approach- 
ing national  Convention  at  Philadelphia  as  the  pardon  of 
these  gentlemen.  If  pardoned,  every  body  would  look  to 
Gov.  Graham  as  our  chief  representative  in  that  Con- 
vention. If  still  unpardoned  it  may  be  held  a  matter  of 
doubtful  expediency  to  send  him.  Every  body  in  this 
State  (excepting  a  handful  of  Radicals)  supports  your 
policy.  If  you  would  pardon  these  three  men  it  would 
give  fervor  to  this  support. 

I  make  this  communication  to  you  without  consultation 
or  conference  with  any  person,  and  without  the  knowledge 
of  any  body.  It  springs  entirely  from  my  desire  to  sup- 
port the  best  interests  of  my  country. 

The  courtesy  which  the  Sec.  of  State  has  exhibited  to- 
Avards  me  in  a  personal  interview  last  summer,  and  in  our 
official  correspondence,  warranted  me,  as  I  conceived,  in 
presenting  to  him  these  views  in  a  letter  a  few  days  ago. 
which  I  authorised  him  to  use  as  he  might  deem  proper. 
He  informs  me  he  has  laid  that  letter  before  you.  I  deem 
it  my  duty  to  reiterate  and  impress  the  views  therein 
presented. 


Askin?  for  cause 
of  failure  to  be 
re-apixjinted 
Director. 


Front  R.  L.  Patterson^ 

Pattersox  X.  C.  Juhj  10th  1866. 
I  desire  respectfully  to  enquire  what  I  have  done,  or 
what  I  have  failed  to  do,  to  cause  my  late  ostracism  as 
Director  of  the  Western  J^.  C.  R.  Road?  If  political 
friendship  has  anything  to  do  with  your  appointments, 
who  has  exhibited  more  of  it  than  I  have  done?  I  was 
the  only  Holden  director  so  far  as  I  know,  that  voted  for 


'  Kufus  L.  Patterson  had  been  a    member  of  the  convention.s  of 
1861  and  1865. 


COKRESPOXDEXCE    OF    JoXATHA>r    WoRTH.  079 

YOU.  I  was  among  the  first  of  the  members  of  the  Con- 
vention last  fall,  to  declare  in  yonr  favor.  I  came  home 
loaded  with  yonr  documents  and  expended  from  my  ])ri- 
vate  pnrse  a  sufficient  sum  to  give  them  general  distri- 
bution— and  I  may  add,  that  I  did  something  to  arouse 
the  luke-w^armness  of  some  of  the  very  men  who  have  been 
appointed  over  my  head.  It  has  been  a  pleasure  to  give 
my  support,  humble  tho'  it  be,  to  your  administration.  If 
personal  friendship  has  anything  to  do  with  the  appoint- 
ments, I  can  offer  a  claim  of  many  years  of  the  kindest 
relations  existing  between  you.  Gov,  Morehead,  my  late 
father-in-law  Mr.  Fries,  my  Father,  and  I  hope  you  will 
allow  me  to  add,  myself.  I  am  sure  your  son  David  will 
say  that  I  was  his  friend. 

But  supposing,  what  ougJit  to  be  the  case,  that  neither 
political  or  personal  friendship  has  anything  to  do  with 
your  appointments,  but  that  capacity  and  interest  in  the 
success  of  the  Road,  are  the  only  requisites,  I  tliink  my 
ostracism  need  not  have  taken  place  on  this  account.  It 
is  true. I  do  not  o^\ti  much  stock  in  the  road,  it  was  built 
to  its  present  terminal  before  I  removed  to  this  section 
of  the  State — but  I  am  largely  interested  in  the  successful 
running  of  the  Road.  It  is  the  life-blood  of  my  business — 
it  is  an  ahsolute  necessity  to  my  remaining  in  this  coun- 
try, and  this  I  certainly  prefer  to  do.  As  an  evidence  of 
this,  I  may  mention  that  I  &  the  Co.  I  represent,  will 
probably  pay  (I  may  almost  say  certainly)  more  freight 
to  that  Rail  Road  than  six  of  your  newly  appointed  Di- 
rectors all  put  together.  If  I  have  brains  enough  to  under- 
stand anything,  it  is,  that  as  the  West.  ^N".  C.  R.  R.  flour- 
ishes I  may  expect  to  flourish — and  that  its  interests  are 
my  interests.  If  I  have  sufficient  capacity  might  I  not 
be  entrusted  with  those  interests  ? 

As  to  my  capacity  it  is  not  for  me  to  speak.  I  have  en- 
joyed the  confidence  of  such  men  as  Gov.  Morehead,  AV. 
F.  Fries,  Mr.  Jesse  H.  Lindsey,  Gov.  Vance  and  others — 


680  XouTii   Cakolixa  Historical  CoMMlSSIO^^ 

and  I  sueeeedctl  in  hnsiiiess  which  is  considered  a  lest  of 
merit.  I  have  hibored  for  twelve  years  to  make  myself 
a  l)nsiness  man,  and  if  my  record  for  energy,  prom])tness 
and  unselfish  love  of  duty,  does  not  equal  that  of  any  man 
you  have  a])pointed  then  I  have  labored  in  vain  and  must 
commence  my  work  over  again. 

I  write  these  things  resj)ectfully.  I  should  not  write 
them  at  all.  if  the  whole  of  Gov.  Holden's  appointees  had 
passed  out  together — but  for  your  board  you  have  selected 
one  of  the  old  Board — kno^^^l  to  have  talked  and  voted 
against  you — who  has  little  or  no  interest  in  the  R.  Road 
either  as  a  stockholder  or  business  man,  and  whose  coun- 
try people  are  not  dependent  upon  this  Road,  and  there- 
fore bring  it  but  little  patronage.  That  he  should  have 
been  re-appointed  and  I  left  out,  is  the  reason  of  this  let- 
ter. The  other  Directors  can  console  themselves  with  the 
reflection  that  the  Juggernaut  of  politics  crushed  out  their 
ofiicial  life,  and  that  Cowles  has  only  been  more  lucky  than 
they — while  I,  known  throughout  this  section  as  a  Worth 
man  of  the  warmest  sect,  have  only  to  reflect,  and  to  feel 
that  others  may  also  reflect,  that  something  worse  than 
political  opposition  has  cut  off  my  head. 

It  would  be  useless  for  me  to  say  that  I  do  not  feel  this 
slight.  I  cannot  help  regarding  it  as  a  pointed  indication 
that  I  am  ''not  wanted'' — and  it  may  not  be  improper  to 
mention  that  my  Father  enters  fully  into  my  feelings  upon 
this  matter.  Hoping  that  no  other  gentleman  may  have 
reason  to  com]ilaiu  as  I  have  done,  I  am, 


Tu  L.  S.  Gash. 

Raleigh  July  10th  1866. 
Answer  to  recom-        '\\\('  constant  ])rcssni'o  of  uro'eiit  olflcial  duties  has  pre- 

mendation  for  .  *"  . 

pardon.  vcutcd  me  fi'oui  rc})lying  to  several  letters  reed  irom  yoiL 

1  have  rccentlv  attended  to  the  matters  to  which  vou  called 


CORKESPOXDEIS^CE    OF    JoNATIIAN    WoRTH.  08 1 

my  attention.  I  have  the  highest  personal  regard  for  you 
and  would  have  answered  if  it  had  been  possible  for  me 
to  do  so  without  neglecting  other  more  urgent  duties. 

You  recommended  me  to  pardon  a  rioter,  (name  not 
remembered)  convicted  before  Judge  Merrimon.  Your  let- 
ter was  endorsed  by  Mr.  Jones.  Under  the  rules  which 
I  had  laid  down  for  my  government  in  the  course  of  the 
pardoning  power,  as  to  the  propriety  of  which  I  entertain 
no  doubt,  I  could  not  comply  with  your  request,  I  hold 
that  the  executive  ought  never  to  pardon  till  the  judge  or 
the  jury  are  heard  from.  The  law  has  imposed  on  them 
a  duty  which  they  perform  under  oath.  I  think  it  would 
be  a  i:)erversion  of  the  pardoning  power  to  act  on  an  ex 
parte  representation  of  facts,  no  odds  how  trust-worthy, 
till  the  judge  or  the  jury,  who  have  heard  the  evidence  on 
both  sides,  have  at  least  been  heard  from. — I  am  oiHcially 
bound  to  presume  that  they  have  performed  their  duty.  I 
could  not,  therefore,  have  pardoned  the  criminal,  upon  the 
representations  made  to  me,  no  odds  who  had  been  the 
judge.  In  this  case  Merrimon  is  the  judge.  I  have  long- 
known  him  well — And  have  not  less  confidence  in  his  pru- 
dence and  judgment  and  impartiality  than  in  his  legal  at- 
tainments. I  could  not  believe  he  would  have  ordered  an 
im])risonment  of  the  deft,  for  six  months  upon  the  facts 
as  set  forth  in  the  petition  before  me.  I  refused  to  grant 
the  pardon  until  Judge  Merrimon  could  be  heard  from. 
]\rr.  Jones  applied  to  him.  The  facts,  as  stated  by  him, 
constitute  one  of  the  most  outrageous  riots  I  have  ever 
heard  of  in  Xorth  Carolina,  in  which  the  convict  was  a 
leader,  if  not  tlie  leader.  It  would  have  been  a  license 
for  outrage  to  have  punished  him  with  less  severity  than 
the  judge  did.  I  pity  his  wife  and  children  but  it  would 
be,  in  my  opinion,  false  compassion  which  would  let  oif 
with  nominal  punishment  so  great  an  outrage  on  the  laws 
of  the  land.  I  am  persuaded  you  did  not  know  the  facts — 
or  that  your  compassion  for  the  innocent  wife  and  chil- 
dren got  the  better  of  your  judgment. 


r,S2  XoHTK  Carolina  TIistokical  Commission. 

I  will  ill  no  instance  gTant  a  pardon  until  the  judge  or 
the  jury  can  be  heard  from  and  I  feel  confident  your  good 
judgment  will  approve  this  rule. 

Henderson' viLLE. 


To  Dr.  M.  F.  AremMU 

Ralkigii    July  11th  ISOfJ. 

I  herewith  inclose  to  you  a  copy  of  a  letter  I  this  day 
addressed  to  the  President  of  the  United  States. 

I  hear  yon  have  lately  indulged  in  very  open  and  bitter 
denunciations  of  my  action  as  to  Directors  on  your  Road.' 
I  hope  when  you  get  cool  you  will  perceive  that  they  were 
nn\varr'U;ted.  I  am  clear  that  under  all  the  circumstances 
I  did  light. 

Beaifort. 


To  B.  S.  Tledrid: 

Raleigh  Juhj  11,  1860. 
Yum-  inquiry  as  to  how^  our  friend  Hanes  gets  on  with 
his  news-paper — I  learn  that  it  is  barely  on  a  living 
basis — there  being  almost  no  money  in  the  region  of  its 
circulation.  I  read  it — and  according  to  my  views,  it  emi- 
nently deserves  patronage.  There  is  remarkable  concord- 
ance of  judgment  between  its  editor  and  myself. — 

I  inclose  recommendation  of  three  young  men  for  West 
Point,  as  suggested  by  you.     If  the  recommendations  be 
not  in  due  form,  please  advise  me  what  is  the  needed  cor- 
rection. 
Regarding  cam-         J  think  there  will  be  no  opposition  to  me.     Holden  and 

T>aigii  for  re-elec-  '■  ^ 

tioii.  

1  Michael  F.  Arendell,  of  Carteret,  was  a  physician.  He  was  a 
Whig  in  pontics  and  had  been  State  Senator  from  1850  to  1854,  and 
from  1860  to  1862 

^  The  Atlantic  and  North  Carolina  Railroad. 


COKKESPONDENCE    OF    JoXATHAiSr    WoRTH.  683 

his  followers — and  a  few  weak  men  who  think  in  the  dis- 
pensation of  my  trifling  patronage  that  I  have  discrimi- 
nated against  old  democrats  and  in  favor  of  old  Whigs, 
are  growling  and  wonld  like  to  get  out  opposition,  but  the 
growlers  belong  to  incongruous  elements  and  cannot  co- 
operate. The  great  body  of  the  people  including  its  chief 
representative  men  of  all  shades  of  all  party,  are  decidedly 
for  me.  Ransom  I  am  reliably  informed,  declines — Set- 
tle or  Dockery  is  the  demand  of  the  divided  Holden  fac- 
tion. Most  of  the  men  who  gave  dignity  to  Holden's  fac- 
tion last  fall  will  not  now  adhere  to  it.  Dick,  Pool,  Thomp- 
son, Warren,  Donnell,  Boyden,  etc.  oppose  the  running  a 
candidate  against  me.  I  have  not  heard  of  the  falling  off 
of  a  single  adherent  who  supported  me  last  Fall.  Full 
one  third  of  the  members  of  the  Convention  who  called 
out  Holden  last  Fall  are  now  decidedly  for  me. — I  have 
not  heard  of  the  slightest  dissatisfaction  in  Guilford,  ex- 
cept the  statement  in  your  letter,  the  appointment  of  Gil- 
mer and  Morehead  were  distasteful  to  my  friends  there. 
Randolph  is  now  almost  unanimous  for  me. 
Washixgtox^  D.  C. 


To  F)ed.  Garner. 

Raleigh,  Juli/  11th  1SG6. 

I  have  sold  your  eight  coupons  as  instructed,  for  the 
best  price  I  could  obtain — to-wit  $132. — currency. 

I  will  pay  your  sight  draft  for  this  sum  or  send  it  to 
you  when  a  safe  chance  offers.  I  do  not  know^  when  such 
chance  will  present  itself.  Perhaps  yr  Sheriff  will  ad- 
vance the  money  to  you — or  brothr.  Milton  for  yr  sight 
draft  on  me. 

Yr  old  bond  will  bring  about  53  to  55  cts  on  the  dollar. 
I  can't  take  the  responsibility  of  advising  you  whether  to 
sell  or  not.     I  can't  see  deep  into  the  cloudy  future. 

ASHEBOEO. 


GS4  XoKTii   Cakomxa  Historical  Commission. 

To  Colonel  J.  M.  Perry. 

Raleigh,  July  Ufh  18G6. 

I  licar  it  rei)resented  that  there  is  much  discontent  in 
voni-  phice  as  to  my  appointments  for  the  management  of 
I  he  A.  cV  X.  C.  R.  R.  If  my  action  has  been  obnoxious  to 
any  criticisni  whicli  to  fair  men,  seems  just,  I  would  like 
to  know  wherein.  I  had  to  pass  my  ship  between  Scylla 
and  Carihdis.  1  cnileavored  to  navigate  prudently.  I 
hear  some  of  my  friends  in  Morehead  City  complain — Of 
what  (]<)  they  ('()iii])lain  ( 

P>i:aii'()kt. 


Tu  A.  E.  Eh  odes. 

B.X1.-EIGII,  July  11  ISGO. 

T  am  sure  you  will  have  appreciated  my  difficulties  in 
a])])ointing  Directors  for  the  A.  (ic.  jST.  C.  R.  R. — With 
the  lights  before  me  I  exercised  powers  as  judiciously  as 
I  could,  looking  primarily  to  the  interests  of  the  State. 

I  hear  that  some  of  my  friends  in  Morehead  City  com- 
])lain  (tf  my  action.  If  this  be  so,  will  you  oblige  me  by 
informing  me  wherein  my  friends  think  I  erred  I 

]\IoiJEiiEAu  City. 


To  Ihujli  McCulloch. 

Raleigh,  July  11  1S06. 
in  a  late  h  tter  from  your  dept.  I  was  invited  to  rec- 
ommend a  suitable  person  as  assessor  in  the  2nd  District 
of  this  State  in  place  of  ^Iv.  Piggott.  I  took  measures 
to  get  the  information — and  herewith  inclose  the  rec- 
ommendation of  Ethelbert  Ilubbs  by  Hon.  C.  Clark,  mem- 
ber elect  to  Congress,  Avhich  I  endorse. 

On  the  2!)tli  ult.    I   i-eceived    another  letter  from    vour 


Correspondence  of  Jonathan  Worth.  685 

dept.  which  leaves  me  in  doubt  whether  you  want  a  rec- 
ommendation, in  place  of  Piggott,  for  the  2nd  District. 
Washington.  D.  C. 


To  Lewis  Hemes. 

Raleigh,  July  lS/66. 

T  am  much  pressed  with  business  and  [have]  time  only 
to  say  that  I  refuse  any  alliances  with  any  person — I  must 
be  understood  as  being  hands  off  as  to  Lt.  Govr.  In  strict 
confidence  I  regard  Wright's  name  as  much  less  exception- 
able than  any  other  named — and  the  two  most  exception- 
able ones  Ferebee  and  Dick. 

Salisbury. 


To  James  A.  Egersione. 

Raleigh  July  IS  1866. 
Yours  of  the  20th  ult.  was  not  answered  immediatelv  conflict  between 

•-    Bureau  and  civil 

because  I  hoped  to  have  got  the  question  of  jurisdiction  t'om-ts. 
as  between  the  Freedman's  Bureau  and  the  judiciary  tri- 
bunals of  the  State  distinctly  defined  ere  this.  I  have  been 
disappointed,  but  am  still  using  every  effort  I  can  judi- 
ciously make  to  have  this  matter  intelligibly  settled.  As 
soon  as  the  correspondence  now  in  progress  on  the  subject, 
shall  have  reached  any  result,  this  result  will  be  made 
known  to  the  people  of  the  State  by  proclamation  or  other- 
wise. 

While  negotiating  to  settle  the  general  principle  I  have 
not  deemed  it  expedient  to  call  attention  to  special  cases. 

Warrenton. 


686  XoKTH  Carolina  Historical  Commission. 

From  J.  C.  Bain. 
T-tov's  Stork.  X.  C.  July  U  ISGG. 
Yours  of  the  4tli  inst  is  to  liaiul  iiifonning  me  of  my 
pardon,  etc.,  of  which  I  am  i)ruu(l. 
i'..iiiicsin  Kan-  Yoii  wished  to  havc  the  particiihirs  of  the  meeting  held 

at  Liberty  which  1  suppose  came  before  you  by  an  extract 
from  a  letter  dated  Long's  Mills  of  June  28th.  Xow  for 
the  truth  of  the  meeting  at  Liberty  which  nominated  Hol- 
den  for  governor.  There  was  a  meeting  attempted  or  tried 
to  be  had  at  Liberty  gotten  up  or  tried  to  be  gotten  up  by 
the  Sellers  and  Wrenns,  etc.  to  nominate  a  candidate  for 
Senator  to  represent  Randolph  and  Alamance  the  meeting 
was  to  be  held  at  Liberty  on  23rd  of  June,  well  the  day 
rolled  round  and  after  I  got  my  dinner  I  walked  up  and 
I  found  about  5  or  6  men  in  number  I  staid  at  Liberty 
until  nearly  night  and  I  do  believe  12  persons  was  all  that 
was  there  and  not  more  than  half  that  no  at  any  one  time 
there  Avas  no  meeting  organized  of  any  kind  whatever. 
There  was  not  more  than  3  or  four  men  that  was  Worth 
men  for  the  reason  they  paid  no  attention  to  the  meeting 
AVashington  Browne  knew  nothing  of  the  meeting  until 
night  when  he  came  in  from  his  field  of  work.  You  can 
now  judge  what  kind  of  meeting  has  been  held,  it  is  all 
a  right  down  Lie  all  done  for  an  effect.  There  cant  be  re- 
spectable men  enough  got  together  to  even  make  a  shadow 
of  a  meeting  to  nominate  an  opposition  to  you.  I  say 
Kandolph  will  not  give  Holden,  Dick,  or  any  other  Hol- 
denite  a  very  liberal  surport.  if  there  is  any  form  of  my 
pardon  in  your  office  please  forward  to  me  and  oblige,  etc. 


CoERESPOIsDEXCE    OF    JoXATHAI^    WOETH.  687 

From  B.  S.  Hedrick. 
Wasiiixgtox,  D.  0.  Juhj  Ih,  ISOO. 

Yours  enclosing  the  recommendation  of  Bagley,  Aren- 
dell  and  Busbee  for  West  Point  has  been  received,  and 
handed  to  the  President's  private  secretary,  I  think  the 
matter  is  now  in  the  right  shape.  If  any  appointments 
are  made  I  think  they  will  be  the  ones.  I  will  try  and  see 
the  President  personally  abont  it  before  long.  If  there 
is  any  chance  of  Congress  adjourning  soon,  I  think  the 
President  will  w^ait  until  after  the  adjournment. 

The  big  batch  of  pardons  have  now  all  been  signed  l)y 
the  Sec.  of  State,  and  a  few  have  the  seals  aftixed.  But  it 
will  be  perhaps  a  week  before  the}'  are  sent  to  you.  I 
should  think  there  were  about  four  hundred  in  all. 

Holden  I  understand  has  kft.  I  judge  that  he  has  uoiden's  plans. 
given  up  all  hopes  of  a  confirmation  by  the  Senate.  He 
will  exert  himself  to  get  up  a  candidate  for  Gov.  As  mat- 
ters now  stand  I  think  the  best  way  is  to  let  Holden  have 
his  way  for  he  always  has  a  Icnach  of  hanging  himself  if 
you  only  give  him  rope  enough.  I  think  he  regards  Settle 
as  his  strong  card  now.  But  there  is  no  telling  what 
scheme  he  will  finally  settle  down  upon,  and  therefore  it 
will  be  valueless  to  plan  at  all  with  the  view  of  counter- 
acting what  he  might  do.  So  far  everything  is  progressing 
favorably. 

Mr.  E.  AY.  King  has  been  confirmed  as  Collector  of  Cus- 
toms for  Xewl)ern. 


From  ir.  //.  BcujJcij  to  B.  L.  Pafferson. 

RALEiGfH  July  lOtli  1S66. 

Your  letter  to  Governor  Worth,  of  the  10th  inst.,  has  i"  answer  to  com- 
plaint. 

been  received,  and  I  write  to  inform  you  that  he  is  at  pres- 
ent absent  from  the  City,  to  account  for  the  delay  which 


688  XoKTll    CAKOLI^■A    HiSTOEICAL    CoMMlSSIOX. 

will   lu ccssarilv  occMir,  on   this  account,  in  yonr  rcc(nving 
iin  answer. 

It  is  willi  pain  lliat  I  read  voni'  letter,  on  account  of  the 
G'reat  personal  regard  in  which  I  hold  yon,  and  the  rela- 
tions which  T  sustain  to  Governor  Worth.  I  was  not  well 
informed  as  to  the  peculiar  circumstances  which  sur- 
rounded the  a])])ointnient  of  the  Directory  on  the  W.  IST. 
C.  R.  Road.  But  of  this  fact  I  am  well  informed,  and 
that  is  there  is  not  in  the  State  of  j^orth  Carolina  a  man 
or  a  friend  for  whom  Governor  Worth  entertains  a  higher 
respect,  a  deeper  regard  or  more  friendly  feeling  than  for 
yourself.  In  this  I  refer  to  men  of  your  own  age.  And 
were  I  to  he  asked  what  two  men  in  the  State,  and  these 
more  properly  his  contemporaries,  were  most  esteemed  by 
Gov.  W.,  I  should,  with(mt  hsitation,  say  Wm.  A.  Graham 
and  Samuel  F.  Patterson.  I  know  there  is  an  entire  ab- 
sence, on  his  part,  of  the  disregard  for  you  which  your 
letter  seems  to  attribute  to  him.  I  knoAv  further  that  this 
matter  of  the  Railroad  has  given  him  more  embarrassment 
and  trouble  than  any  other  matter  which  has  come  to  his 
attention  since  he  assumed  the  duties  of  his  office.  He  can, 
I  feel  coniident,  and  will,  explain  this  matter  to  your  satis- 
faction ;  and,  until  you  hear  from  him,  as  your  friend,  I 
ask  you  not  to  do  him  the  injustice  of  believing  that  he  has 
less  regard  for  you  than  he  always  has  had. 
Patterson. 


To  Tliomas  ]Vf'JA>. 

Raleigh  July  21  1866. 
The  Literary  Board  has  occasion  to  send  one  of  its  mem- 
bers to  Tarboro ;  to-wit  H.  W,  Husted,  to  look  after  busi- 
ness of  importance  connected  Avith  our  duties.  We  have 
not  a  dollar  in  the  Treasury  of  the  board.  If  in  conform- 
ity with  usage,  please  send  me  a  free  ticket  for  the  Major. 

[P.  S.]      The  other  members  of  the  board  are  N'ereus 


CoRKESrO^'DENCE    OF    JONATHAN    WORTH.  689 

]\Ipndciihall  and  Stephen  D.  Pool.  I  do  not  know  whether 
it  is  nsnal  to  g-rant  complimentary  or  free  tickets  to  these 
officers  of  the  State  or  not. — Since  writing  the  above  I  tind 
it  will  be  necessary  that  a  member  of  the  board  visit  Lake 
Ellis  in  the  Sonth  West  corner  of  Craven  County. 
Coimpany's  Shops, 


To  B.  L.  AhevuHlnj. 

Kaleigh  July  21  1S66. 
I  complv  with  vour  request  of  the  13th  inst  to  eive  vou  Defining  his5posi- 

^    "^  . '  ,  .  o  t  (jQQ  Qjj  public 

a  frank  explanation  of  niy  views  on  two  questions  you  pro-  questions, 
pound. 

First — You  ask  me  what  I  think  of  Western  K.  C  run- 
ning Genl  Vance  for  Lt.  Gov.  ? 

Before  I  declared  myself  a  candidate  for  re-election  I 
was  approached  by  the  friends  of  divers  gentlemen — all 
my  supporters,  but  of  every  shade  of  political  sentiment, 
each  desiring  his  name  associated  with  mine.  I  deemed 
it  my  duty  to  decline  making  any  alliance  of  the  kind  with 
any  one. 

It  is  common,  when  candidates  are  brought  forward  by 
the  action  of  a  Convention,  for  such  Conventions  to  make 
nominations  to  be  run  together.  I  deemed  it  pro})er,  in 
compliance  with  what  I  believed  to  be  the  popular  will 
of  a  great  majority  of  the  State,  to  declare  myself  a  candi- 
date, without  any  nomination.  My  friends  every  where 
approved  this  course.  If  I  were  to  have  an  understanding 
v/ith  any  gentleman  to  have  his  name  run  with  mine,  as 
Lt.  Govr.  such  an  agreement  w^ould  have  been  very  dis- 
tasteful to  the  numerous  friends  who  would  h?.ve  been  dis- 
apijointed.  It  would  be  wrong  and  presumptions  in  me 
to  make  any  arrangement  as  to  Lt.  Govr. — but  I  assure 
you  if  I  deemed  it  proper  to  designate  a  man,  none  would 
be  more  acceptable  to  me  than  Genl.  Vance. 
Vol.    2—3 


090  XoitTH  Carolina  Historical  Commis^icx. 

As  to  your  second  question  whethei'  it  is  morally  or 
politically  ri<j;ht  to  n  pudiatc  all  debts  dm'  up  to  the  sur- 
render of  Genl  Lee  I  have  no  hesitation  in  saying  it  is 
neither  morally  or  politically  right,  and  no  member  of  the 
Genl  Assembly  can  give  snch  vote  without  a  direct  viola- 
tion of  his  oath  to  support  the  Constitution  of  the  U.  S., 
which  especially  jirohibits  a  State  from  passing  any  law 
im])airing  the  o])]igarion  of  a  contract. 

Happy  Home. 


From  B.  S.  Hcdrick. 

Wasiiixgtox,  I).  C.  JuJi/  23,  18G6. 

Concerning  Vours  iuclosing  application  of  Judge  Caldwell  and  two 

pardons.  e       a  i  <^ 

others  for  pardon  was  received  this  morning.  I  went  to 
the  White  House,  but  did  not  sec  either  the  President  or 
his  Secretary  in  charge  of  jiardons.  But  left  a  note  with 
the  ]japers.  I  left  a  note  and  as  tomorrow  is  Cabinet  day 
I  will  go  again  day  after  tomorrow. 

The  big  list  of  about  400  old  pardons  will  b?  ready  to  be 
forwarded  to  you  in  a  few  clays. 

All  well.     Weather  very  hot  and  rainy. 

Col.  Wheeler  thinks  the  Agricultural  College  scrip  will 
l)e  ready  soon,  which  M'ill  be  good  news  to  Gov.  Swain. 
There  has  been  some  very  strange  delay  about  it. 

A  memorial  with  about  four  hundred  names  has  been 
sent  me  from  citizens  of  Forsythe  and  Stokes  Co.  ad- 
dressed to  "the  President  and  Congress."  The  substance 
of  it  is  that  I'nion  men  are  being  ^lersecuted  in  the  Courts, 
for  acts  of  lawlessness,  whilst  rebels  guilty  of  far  more  out- 
rageous acts,  are  not  ])ersecuted,  and  if  charges  are  made 
against  rebels  for  murders  and  other  outrageous  acts  the 
complaints  are  dismissed,  whilst  Union  men  are  always 
held  to  answer.  I  think  Capt.  Settle  who  is  prosecuting 
attoi'uey  ought  to  see  to  it  the  Union  men  are  not  prose- 
cuted while  rebels  go  free.     If  the  administration  knew 


I 


COKKESPONDENCE    OF    JONATHAiV    WoKTlI.  G9I 

of  the  matter  it  would  probably  make  it  the  occasion  of 
more  vituperation  of  the  whole  State.  I  tliink  that  there 
must  be  some  cause  for  the  complaints  from  the  Western 
Comities.  I  have  written  to  Starbuck  about  it.  If  yon 
see  any  one  from  Stokes  or  Forsythe  I  think  it  would  1)0 
well  to  inquire  into  the  matter.  1  will  try  and  send  you 
a  co])y  of  the  memorial. 
All  well  hereabouts. 


To  Hugh  McCunoch, 

Rat.eigh,  July  2o  1S0I>. 

Owing  to  im])erfect  mail  facilities- 1  could  not  until  To- 
day get  the  necessary  information  to  enable  me  to  couiply 
with  your  request,  asking  me  to  recommend  a  suital)le  man 
for  assessor  of  Internal  Revenue  in  the  first  collection  Dis- 
trict of  this  State.  I  emphatically  recommend  Josei)h  1\. 
Parker,  of  Belvidere,  Perquimans  County,  Xorth  Caro- 
lina, as  a  man  every  way  suitable,  and  acceptable  to  the 
District.  He  is  a  Quaker  and  can  conscientiously  take  the 
teste  oath.  He  has  been  consulted  and  will  accept,  if  the 
appointment  be  tendered  to  him. 

Waskixgtox  D.  C. 


To  J.  E.  Lee. 

Raleigh  July  2It/GG. 
I  })rocurcd  the  passage  of  a  resolution  at  the  last  session 
of  the  Genl  Assembly  requiring  the  Treasurer  to  issue  to 
Mrs.  Kendall  a  bond,  in  lieu  of  the  one  she  had  surren- 
dered. It  provides  for  the  issue  of  a  bond  to  her,  bearing- 
interest  from  the  date  when  the  old  bond  fell  due,  with 
coupons  for  interest,  etc.  On  application  to  the  Treasurer 
for  the  new  bond,  he  informs  me  he  has  no  printed  blank 
suited  to  this  case — and  that  the  printing  of  a  single  blank 


692  XoRTH  Carolina  Historical  Commissdjn. 

would  be  very  exj^ensive:  and  that  be  will  therefore  pre- 
l)are  for  her  a  manuscript  bond  conformable  to  the  resolu- 
tion.— which  I  shall  probably  get  it  in  a  few  days,  and 
will  forward  as  you  request. 

If  Mrs.  Kendall  wishes  to  return  the  bond,  this  manu- 
script bond  will  be  as  o-ood  as  any — if  she  w-ish  to  sell  it. 
I  fear  it  will  be  hard  to  hnd  a  buyer  in  the  X.  Y.  market. 
Tn  this  latter  case  I  know  no  remedy  only  to  get  the  Genl 
Assembly  to  authorise  an  exchange  of  this  bond  for  one 
of  the  {iUpgiblel  issued  for  over-due  coupons. 

TlIOMASVJLLE^   X.    C. 


To  ./.  W.  Alspangh. 

Ealeigh,  July  2Ji-  1866. 

An  extraordinary  press  of  important  executive  duties 
has  prevented  an  earlier  reply  to  yours  of  the  15th  inst. 

It  was  referred  to  a  committee  of  the  Genl  Assembly  to 
define  what  State  debts  were  to  be  repudiated  as  being  con- 
tracted directly  or  indirectly  in  aid  of  the  rebellion.  Mr. 
Bynum,  Chm.  of  the  Committee,  held  that  salaries  to  civil 
officers  were  not  comprehended  in  the  repudiation  ordi- 
nance. After  much  discussion  the  Genl  A.  refused  to  con- 
cur in  this  report.  The  Treas.  therefore  does  not  feel  au- 
thorised to  pay  any  claims  which  arose  during  the  continu- 
ance of  the  Con.  Govt. 

I  thank  you  for  the  cordial  support  which  your  Journal 
accords  to  my  administration  and  hope  my  course  may 
merit  a  continuance  of  your  confidence. 

WlXSTOX. 


Correspondence  of  Jonathan  Worth.  693 

Raleigh,  July  25  1866. 

Mrs.  Jos.  S.  Joues  ) 

"      Col.  Heck  ) 

'■      A.  S.  Jones  ) 

"      M.  A.  T.  Carroll         ) 

Miss  Maria  Sommerville    ) 

Ella  Brownlow  ) 

"      Mollie  Alston  ) 

Ladies 
I  have  reed  your  polite  note  of  the  20th  inst.  inviting, 
me  to  be  present  at  the  Warren  W.  Sul.  Springs  on  the 
Sth  Aug.  on  the  occasion  of  erecting  a  monument  in  mem- 
ory of  the  late  Miss  Lee,  daughter  of  Genl.  Robt.  E.  Lee. 
I  thank  you  for  this  opportunity  you  offer  me,  of  which 
I  propose  to  avail  myself,  of  exhibiting  my  respect  for  the 
great  and  good  father  and  amiable  daughter. 
I  have  the  honor  to  be  your 

Obt.  Sevt.  JoNATPiAN  Worth.  ■ 


To  B.  S.  Hedricl: 

Raleigh,  July  25  1S66. 

Yours  of  the  20th  inst.  is  reed. 

I  hope  the  President  will  refer  the  petitons  from  For- 
sythe  and  Stokes  to  me  as  he  has  done  like  petitions  here- 
tofore. The  manner  in  which  I  discharged  the  duty  here- 
tofore, was  so  impartial  and  showed  the  utter  groundless- 
ness of  the  complaints,  as  induced  Mr.  Seward  to  compli- 
ment me.  If  they  be  referred  to  me  I  will  investigate  the 
facts  so  thoroughly  as  to  present  the  truth,  whatever  it 
may  be. 

I  am  satisfied  there  is  a  concerted  plan  on  foot,  by  im-  piansoftheopix>- 
putmg  partiality  to  our  Courts  oi  justice,  to  have  martial 
law  restored,  if  it  be  not  already  in  force.  We  have  a  new 
military  commandant,  Genl.  Jno.  C.  Robinson.  He  pro- 
fesses to  believe  that  a  L^nion  man  cannot  have  justice  in 
our  Courts.     To  prove  this  he  has  had  two  officers  Col. 


094  XoRTH  Carolina  Historical  Commission. 

Can-  iiiul  ('apr.  Wolcott,  traveling  in  several  of  the  West- 
ern Counties  and  taking  ex  parte  statements  and  affidavits 
to  prove  all  sorts  of  iniquities  against  our  Courts — a  thing 
easily  ditue  in  this  way.  Xumerous  petitions  as  he  says, 
are  sent  tn  liini  asking  for  military  ])rotection.  He  has 
sent  me  copies  of  some  of  them.  They  show  on  their  face, 
to  an  imjiartial  mind,  that  they  are  got  up  for  effect.  He 
gave  me  no  notice  of  this  plan  of  ex  parte  investigation. 
The  combination  is  extensive.  Master  spirits  for  mischief 
are  at  the  bottom  of  it  and  our  poor  old  State  is  likely  to 
suffer  from  the  dirty  birds  willing  to  foul  their  own  nests 
to  re<dv  vengeance  on  others.  I  have  no  reason  to  dread 
fair  investigation.  I  fear  this  will  not  be  accorded.  Genl. 
Robinson  claims  for  'Vmr  common  superior"  the  right  to 
depose  the  civil  authorities  of  the  State  and  there  are 
numy  indications  that  an  attempt  is  being  made  to  lay  a 
foundation  for  the  exertion  of  such  a  power.  Genl.  Grant's 
military  order  Xo.  44  July  1,  is  based  on  the  assumption 
that  the  States  involved  in  the  rebellion  are  still  tmder 
martial  law.  I  see  much  trouble  ahead  and  feel  sure  our 
judiciary,  as  virtuous,  impartial  and  learned  as  any  in  the 
United  States  is  to  be  the  object  of  attack  through  the 
agency  of  insidious  one-sided  inquisition.  Holden's  object 
is  to  take  vengeance  on  the  State. 

I  hope  you  will  send  me  a  copy  of  the  memorial. 

Washixotox,  D.  C. 


From  A.  E.  Rhodes. 

:\r()nKiiKAD  City  July  2<)th  ISOG. 
Concerning  Yours  of  the  11  til  iust  was  dulv  reed,  and  I  avail  mv- 

appointment  of  .  .  _  .  '  .  ' 

Directors  self  of  this  niv  tirst  leisure  to  reply,  a  duty  which  under 

the  circumstances  is  to  me  exceedingly  unpleasant. 

And  first,  let  me  say  that  the  implicit  confidence  which 
I  have  ever  reposed  in  yon,  and  my  high  regard  for  you  as 
a  man  of  unl)lemished  honor  and  immaculate  integrity  are 


CoKRESPO^fDENCE    OF    JoNATIIAN    WoKTlI.  69.' 

Still  uiKliiiiinisbed ;  and  that  my  grateful  recolleetioiis  of 
your  former  kindness  are  still  fresh  and  green. 

You  say  that  "with  the  lights  before  you  you  exercise 
powers  as  judiciously  as  present  diseomforture,  and  of 
■  your  own  new-horn  unpopulnrity,"  an  error  which  if  not 
satisfactorily  explained  or  remedied  will,  in  this  section 
if  you-  have  opposition  transmute  your  hopes  now  flicker- 
ing to  blooming  despair. 

Even  now,  there  is  no  lonr/er  anij  line  of  steamers  from 
this  point  to  X.  Fork.  The  bridge  at  Xewhern — u-hich 
as  I  learn  from  the  former  Superintendeid  of  Bridges, 
ete..  could  have  been  repaired  by  sections,  so  as  not  to  stop 
the  trains  at  all,  has  been  condemned  as  unsafe  and  we 
thinl'  it  will  reniai)i  unsafe — in  the  opinion  of  the  present 
management — initil  all  the  presejd  crop  of  cotton  and  naval 
stores  shall  have  been  shipped.  We  know  that  the  ad- 
vantages to  he  derived  from  this  Harbor  constitute  the 
chief  arguments  in  favor  of  building  this  Road,  and  we 
had  a  right  to  suppose  that  the  State  would  take  some  in- 
terest in  developing  her  own  resources;  w'hich  has  not  been 
manifested  in  discriminating  against  a  good  harbor  in 
favor  of  the  port  at  Xewbern— -in  whose  deepest  waters  a 
tall  man  might  wade  with  dry  hands. 

You  say,  furthermore,  that  "some  of  your  friends  at 
M.  C.  complain  of  your  action  and  you  wish  to  know 
wherein  we  think  you  erred."  I  can  truly  say  not  some 
but  all  complain.  There  is  indeed  "a  loud  lament  along 
the  sweeping  sea,"  and  the  error  is — I  speak  of  Carteret — 
that  you  rejected  whom  you  did  reject  and  appointed  those 
whom  you  did  appoint.  But  the  rejection  of  Thomas  and 
Arendell  would  have  mattered  little  had  you  also  rejected 
Ramsey  who  was — beyond  all  question — a  more  odious 
Iloldenite  than  either  of  the  others,  and  sui)erlatively  un- 
acceptable to  the  citizens  of  ]\Iorehead. 

Had  you  displaced  them  all  and  appointed  such  nun  as 
B.  Arendell,  John  Perry,  S.  I).  Pool — who  had  fougliT  and 
suffered   for   their   hemes   and   their   country — you   would 


696  North  Caeoliin'a  Historical  Commission. 

have  given  satisfaction.  Again :  The  appointment  of 
!Mnrdoch,  of  Salisbury,  for  Carteret — leaves  us  to  infer 
that,  in  your  estimation,  there  was  hut  one  man  in  the 
whole  county  worthy  of  being  elected  to  so  Jtigh  a  position. 
The  result  of  your  action  is  that  Morehead  has  not  a  single 
employee  on  the  Road.  There  were  three — the  conductor. 
sii])erinten(leut  of  bridges  and  repairs — and  agi*. — all 
Worth  men  and  men  of  influence. 

T.  Arendell — conductor — is  an  ex-confederate  soldier — 
and  is  now  without  any  prospect  of  emplo}T:nent ;  Mur- 
doch— sn])erintendent  of  bridges  received  a  better  position 
on  the  W.  k.  W.  R.  R.  immediately  after  he  was  displaced ; 
but  \vorst  of  all  Ramsey,  by  strategetic  log-rolling  man- 
aged to  displace  G.  W.  Dill  whose  superior  for  the  position 
he  held  could  hardly  be  found  in  the  State.  I  also  learn 
that  he  spent  about  $500.  to  secure  your  election  last  fall 
and  that  Duncan — his  successor — was  Holden's  first  ap- 
])ointment  as  Mayor  of  Beaufort  and  that  he  was  an  in- 
tensely warm  supporter  of  Holden.  I  sincerely  believe 
that  Dill  did  more  for  the  interest  of  the  State  than  any 
three  directors  on  the  Road.  If  Ramsey  and  ]\rurdoch 
could  be  properly  disposed  of  and  Duncan  restored  to  the 
bosom  of  his  family  the  interest  of  the  State  would  be  pro- 
moted and  we  should  feel  better  satisfied:  provided  the 
Bridge  can  be  considered  safe  once  more. 

For  the  present  you  have  hilled  Morehead,  ruined  the 
Bond  and  lost  the  friendship — so  far  as  I  know — of  every 
man  who  has  any  interest  at  this  place. 

I  ^^•rite  these  things  with  all  deference  for  your  feelings 
and  Avith  exceeding  sorrow,  hoping  that  something  may 
yet  be  done  for  the  interests  of  the  State  which  will  restore 
you  to  the  good  graces  of  the  City  of  the  Sea — T  wish  you 
sincerely  well. 


Correspondence  or  Jonathan  Worth.  697 

To  Z.  B.  Vance. 

Kaleigh  July  26  1866. 
Holden,  Tod  Caldwell  and  others  of  like  malignant  feel-  conditions  in 

.  North  Carolina. 

ing  towards  jNortn  Carolina,  are  endeavoring  to  restore 
the  State  to  military  rule.  The  scheme  is  to  make  the  iiu- 
])ression  that  Union  men  (so  called)  cannot  have  justice 
in  our  Courts.  The  present  miltary  commandant  of  the 
State  cordially  co-operate  with  them,  as  I  fear  does  Genl 
Grant — witness  his  military  order  dated  July  1.  xVgents 
appointed  by  Genl  Robinson  have  been  sent  to  the  Western 
part  of  the  State  to  take  ex-parte  testimony  to  show  that 
Union  men  cannot  have  justice  in  our  Courts.  I  am  sup- 
plied with  a  copy  of  their  report.  I  intend  to  try  to  send 
a  copy  of  this  report  and  of  in}"  correspondence  wuth  Genl 
Kobinson  to  Judge  Mitchell  to  be  transmitted  by  him  to 
Judges  Ramsey,  Shipp  and  Merrimon.  It  is  voluminous 
and  I  have  not  sufficient  clerical  force  to  furnish  a  sepa- 
rate copy  to  each.  Western  X.  C.  is  the  region  from  which 
they  expect  to  draw  the  proofs  necessary  to  prove  that 
martial  law  ought  to  be  restored.  I  am  not  armed  with 
power  to  send  out  agents  to  counteract  these  machinations. 
Genl  Robinson  sends  out  reports  from  his  instructors  in 
Wilkes  and  elsewhere  of  disloyal  transactions  in  Surry. 
Allegheny,  etc.  These  charges  are  vague — hence  not  easy 
to  answer,  but  specific  enough  to  accomplish  the  aim  of 
signers.  I  think  we  are  in  great  peril.  Robinson  claims 
for  the  military  the  power  to  judge  whether  the  civil  au- 
thorities of  the  State,  judges  included,  do  their  duty,  and 
in  case  they  deem  them  derelict,  to  suspend  them.  I  sent 
a  copy  of  his  letter  asserting  this  proposition  to  the  Presi- 
dent ten  days  ago.     He  does  not  answer. 

I  send  you  this  hasty  sketch  to  keep  you  somewhat 
posted.  I  have  not  time  to  make  it  as  full  as  I  could  wish. 
I  think  I  shall  go  to  Washington  to  satisfy  myself  whether 
the  Prest.  is  still  under  the  guidance  of  Ilolden  as  to  mat- 
ters in  ^orth  Carolina. — I  fear  he  is. — I  refer  you  to 


698  Xdirni     (    AKU-LIXA    lIlSTOKlCAL    COMMISSION. 

Col.    Mitchell   for  further   infoniiatiou   on   the  main  sub- 
ject of  this  letter. 

[P.  S.]      This  is  a  hasty  ante-breakfast  sketch  written 
at  home,  curicnte  calariw. 


Fri^iii   W.  II.  B'i«i'( !j  lo  W/IJiaiii  II.  Bryin. 

IIalkigh,  July  201  li  1860. 

Your  letter,  of  the  21st  inst.,  to  the  Governor,  enclosing 
certain  resolves  of  citizens  of  your  town,  looking  to  the 
protection  of  the  lives  and  property  of  themselves  and  their 
families,  and  asking  him  "to  legalize  their  proceedings," 
has  been  received. 

The  Governor  instructs  me  to  re])ly  that  he  knows  of 
no  power  vested  in  him  by  which  he  can  comply  with  the 
wish  expressed.  If,  however,  there  be  any  public  law,  or 
any  jirivate  law  passed  for  the  benefit  of  your  County  or 
town,  by  the  provisions  of  which  he  can  do  so,  if  you  will 
inform  him,  he  will  give  you  all  the  aid  so  authorized. 

Trextox. 


To  E.  M.  Pearson.' 

ItAi.EiGH,  Jidu  27  1860. 
T  lately  appointed  Judge  Fowle  to  hold  a  Court  of  Oyer 
and  Terminer  in  Alamance  County  under  the  Act  of 
1802-62,  Chap.  .']5.  Tie  produces  the  certificate  of  the 
Clerk  that  he  has  held  the  Court  and  asks  me  to  issue  my 
warrant  on  the  Treasurer.  I  cannot  satisfy  myself  as  to 
the  amount  he  is  entitled  to  receive  or  the  law  authorising 
me  to  issue  such  warrant.  I  will  be  greatly  obliged  to  you 
for  your  advise  and  opinion  in  relation  to  this  matter. 


'  Richmond  M.  Pearson  had  been  a  member  of  the  Legislature 
from  1829  to  1883.  In  18.36  he  was  elected  to  the  Superior  Court 
bench,  in  1848  to  the  Supreme  Court  and  became  Chief  Justice  in 
18j8.  He  was  re-elected  upon  re-organization  in  1865,  and  again  in 
1868. 


COEEESPONDEXCE    OF    JONATHAN     VVoUTir.  699 

Much  pains  is  being  taken  by  Genl.  Robinson  to  prove 
bv  an  ex  parte  investigation  that  Fnion  men  cannot  have 
jnstice  in  onr  Courts.  I  send  to-day  copies  of  much  of 
this  evidence  and  of  my  correspondence  with  the  Genl  t<j 
Judge  ]\ritchell  with  the  request,  when  he  shall  have  read 
the  papers,  that  he  send  them  to  Judges  Shi])])  and  Merri- 
mon  in  the  hope  they  may  be  able  to  furnish  uie  some  facts 
or  suggestions  or  counter  athdavits  to  counter-act  the  mis- 
chief likely  to  result.  I  send  to  these  judges  because  the 
imputations  are  located  in  their  Circuits. 

The  Geid  claims  the  right  for  the  military  autlKu-ities 
to  suspend  the  civil  officers  of  the  State  from  the  exercise 
of  their  functions. 

IiicHMOND  Hilt,. 


F)('iii  Miles  La  ml). 
X.  C.  Kandolph  County  much  res})eeted  governor  through 
necesity  I  seat  my  self  this  morning  to  rite  yo  a  few  lines 
too  let  yo  now  the  fix  i  am  now  in  it  has  bin  my  trade  too 
still  brandy  when  ever  thire  was  fruit  too  still  ever  scence 
1842  being  that  I  lived  on  a  poor  plantation  stilling  was 
my  plan  too  make  my  spending  money  had  it  not  bin  for 
that  Chance  I  could  not  have  pad  my  tax  all  tha  time  but 
by  that  Chance  I  have  all  ways  pad  my  tax  till  this  time 
k  bynot  kowing  this  Dollar  &  a  half  tax  was  lade  on 
brandy  in  1865  I  fixed  up  as  common  too  still  before  i 
found  it  out  then  I  had  too  lose  my  fruit  or  go  on  &  popel 
thought  that  law  so  unreasabel  that  it  would  be  repeald  ^: 
promist  me  that  if  I  would  go  on  that  if  the  tax  was  too 
pay  tha  would  pay  there  part  of  it  (S:  that  tha  was  lik  my 
self  tha  had  to  spend  what  tha  got  for  some  thing  too  eat 
&  could  not  keep  tha  money  too  pay  tax  with  t^r  money 
has  becom  so  hard  too  git  that  a  conunon  man  can  not  git 
it  I  tride  for  two  weaks  too  borrow  money  (S:  found  it  was 
invane  now  vo  know  that  if  I  take  Judcinent  acanst  these 


700  XoRTH  Carolina  Historical  Commission. 

men  that  i  have  stilled  for  tha  will  stay  it  &  some  of  it 
will  stay  six  months  &  and  that  yo  know  %vill  keep  me  be- 
hind time  nearley  all  that  i  still  was  for  other  peopel  tha 
are  good  for  the  money  bu  the  thing  is  to  git  it  in  time  I 
intend  too  pay  tha  last  dollar  if  i  can  have  time  too  sell 
my  pro]iei*ty  it  wont  pay  one  tinth  of  tha  money  too  sell 
for  reddy  money  tliir  is  only  now  &  then  a  man  that  has 
got  any  money  too  by  with  &  just  what  he  is  amind  to 
give  it  has  too  go  for  &  tha  thoughts  of  being  broke  up 
hurts  my  feelings  tha  worst  of  any  thing  that  i  ever  met 
with  except  sicknes  or  deatli  tlia  hundred  &  fifty  acors  of 
land  that  i  bought  i  give  it  too  my  too  suninlaws  to  live 
on  and  now  it  look  very  hard  too  turn  them  of  with  severrel 
littel  Children  with  out  pay  for  thir  work  &  nothing  to 
help  them  selves  with  from  the  Promis  tha  tha  President 
had  all  ways  had  mad  Declaring  that  all  loyel  pepe  &  ther 
Property  should  be  Pertected  but  it  Don  look  so  now  see- 
ing tha  younion  men  brok  first  now  if  thire  is  any  petection 
too  be  had  I  would  thank  yo  &  tha  President  &  tha  govne 
k  all  of  tha  Loyel  Peopel  too  feel  tha  effect  of  it  as  for 
seesesion  I  have  no  more  youse  for  them  than  a  Christian 
has  for  Hell  and  Damnation  I  would  like  too  hear  from 
yo  too  now  what  yo  thing  will  becom  of  tha  popel  in  re- 
gard too  this  tax  yo  now  our  money  is  Destroid  &  we  have 
no  chance  if  the  treasure  money  would  go  for  half  what  i 
give  for  it  i  could  pay  all  of  but  yo  see  it  is  Right  me  a 
few  lines  if  you  peas,  so  nomer  only  remaining  your  friend 
July  28  A  D  1S06. 


To  A.  E.  Eh  odes. 

Raleigh  July  20/66. 
Railroad  Directors.  I  thauk  vou  foi'  your  cordial  letter  of  the  26th  inst.  just 
received.  I  have  heard  there  was  some  discontent  in  More- 
head.  I  had  no  idea  it  was  so  deep  and  universal  as  you 
represent,  and  I  fail  to  perceive  that,  wath  the  lights  be- 
fore me,  I  was  guilty  of  a  reprehensible  error,  if  I  com- 


COKKESPONDEXCE    OF    JoNATJIAX    WoKTII.  701 

niittcd  an  error  at  all.  I  am  as  anxious  for  the  prosperity 
of  Morehead  City  as  any  citizen  of  X.  C.  and  the  generous 
support  of  its  inhabitants  last  Fall  endears  them  to  me. 
The  complaint,  as  I  understand,  consists  in  the  appoint- 
ment of  Ramsey  and  Murdock  and  the  omission  to  appoint 
Dr.  Arendell  and  Mr.  Thomas.  Let  me  review  the  views  ■ 
which  controlled  my  action.  The  friends  of  Mr.  Thomas 
represented  that  he  Avas  managing  the  Road  much  better 
than  Mr.  Whitford  had  managed  it.  The  friends  of  Mr. 
Whitford  made  the  exact  opposite  representation.  The 
friends  of  the  former  insisted  that  the  old  directory  man- 
aged the  road  to  build  up  ISTewbern  and  damage  Morehead 
City — The  friends  of  Whitford  made  the  exact  opposite 
representation.  I  heard  the  representations  of  each  side 
with  patience  and  candor.  No  such  proofs  were  furnished 
me  as  enabled  me  to  know  which  was  right.  I  am  armed 
w^ith  no  powers  of  investigation  by  which  I  could  ascertain 
what  was  the  truth.  What  seemed  to  me  to  be  the  very  best 
evidence  of  the  rival  competitors  was  the  resolution  of  the 
Stockholders  at  the  time  of  the  election  of  Mr.  Thomas, 
as  President,  unanimously,  (Mr.  Thomas  being  present), 
applauding  Mr.  Whitford  for  his  skill  and  fidelity  in  the 
management  of  the  road.  This  I  regarded  as  incontro- 
vertible proof  of  his  merits  and  I  deemed  his  displacement 
entirely  attributable  to  the  political  or  personal  hostility  of 
]\rr.  Holden.  This  seemed  to  warrant  my  nomination  of 
Mr.  Whitford  as  a  Director,  but  on  reflection  I  concluded 
the  individual  stockholders  ought  to  understand  better  than 
I  could  the  merits  of  the  two  competitors,  and  I  therefore 
resolved  to  nominate  neither  of  them,  and  leave  it  to  the 
stockholders  to  elect  one  or  both  or  neither  of  them.  Mr. 
Whitford  had  much  more  just  ground  to  complain  of  this 
than  Mr.  Thomas.  I  hear  it  is  alleged  that  I  knew  this 
would  result  in  the  election  of  Whitford  and  the  rejection 
of  Thomas.  This  allegation  is  untrue.  Wholly  irrespec- 
tive of  the  fact  that  Whitford  had  supported  me  and  that 
Thomas  had  not,  my  friends  in  Morehead  or  else  where 


'02  XoKTir  Carolina  Historical  Commission. 

c'iiiiiKiT  justly  coiii])laiii  that   I  left  each  of  the  competitors 
to  tlieir  cliaiiees  of  election  hy  the  stockholders.     As  to  the 
ai)p((iiitiiieiit  of  Ramsey,  he  had  long  been  a  director,  and 
was  an  original  t-nhscriher  for  stock.     I  had  not  heard  that 
his  appointment  wonld  he  unacceptable  to  a  single  citizen 
of  Carteret,  so  far  as  1  can  remember.     Many  pressed  his 
a])i)oii;tmcnt  on  m:',  fiaring  I  would  proscribe  him  becanse 
he  voted  against  me.     If  this  appointment  was  unfortunate 
for  Morehead  my  friends  there  have  no  cause  to  complain 
of  me  on  account  of  it.     1  appointed  Mr.  ^lurdock  because 
1  regarded  him  as  an  eminently  fit  man,    a  large  stock- 
holder— an  owner  of  considerable  real  estate   in  or  near 
your  city,  a  brother  of  one  of  your  best  citizens,  a  par- 
ticular  friend   of  Govr.    Morebead,   whose    interests    are 
identical  with  those  of  your  city — Your  citizens  had  not 
suggested  a  name  to  me — and  I  expected  the  appointment 
would  be  eminently  acceptable  to  you.     Dr.  Arendell  had 
little  stock.     I  did  not  think  that  he  expected  me  to  ap- 
point him.     Xot  a  citizen  of  Morehead,  to  the  best  of  my 
recollection,  had  asked   me  to  appoint    him.      I  did    not 
think  he  held,  in  the  legitimate  spirit  of  the  charter,  the 
stock  required  to  make  him  eligible.      If  it  be  alleged,  as  it 
has   been,    that  one   of   other   appointments — that   of   my 
friend  C.  C.  (.lark,  was  illegal  l)ecause  he  was  not  the  owner 
of  5  shares  of  stock,  I  reply  that  my  information  is  that  he 
did  own  the  required  amount  of  stock — and  believing  him 
to  l)e  a   high-minded  and  honorable  gentleman  I  believed 
he  would  not  countenance  any  unfair  proceeding  to  favor 
his  town  and  prejudice  yours.     You  mention  no  conq)laint 
as  to  my  other  appointments. 

I  have  this  consolation  that  T  discharged  my  duty  con- 
scientiously and  to  the  best  of  my  judgment — Xo  morta'l 
could  have  done  it  satisfactorily. — Xothing  pains  me  more 
than  the  removal  of  my  friend  Dill.  I  am  greatly  sur- 
prised at  it.  1  thought  he  was  a  universal  favorite  wath 
every  body  interested  in  the  road,  and  particidarly  so  with 
:Mr.  Whitford. 


CORRESPOXDE^^CE    OF    JOXxVTHAX    WoUTir.  703 

If  I  have  the  honor  to  he  ro-ekcted  Govr.,  1  shall  ask 
the  Gciil.  Assnnlvlv  to  confer  on  the  Hoard  of  IiUci'iial 
Improvement  powers  of  investi^-ation  in  relation  to  our 
public  works  whereby  that  board  can  act  witli  better  lights. 

As  to  the  bridge,  Mr.  Whitford  informs  me  it  is  so  in- 
secure that  he  deems  it  criminal  to  hazard  the  lives  of  pas- 
sengers iu  the  cars  on  it ;  and  that  he  had  two  hundred 
hands  preparing  timber  to  repair  it.  ISTow  if  his  facts  l)e 
true,  I  perceive  no  just  ground  of  ccmiplaint. 

You  speak  of  "discriminating  against  a  good  harbor  in 
favor  of  the  port  of  Xewbern,  in  whose  deepest  waters  a 
tall  man  might  wade  with  drv  hands."  I  will  not  su])- 
pose  that  you  mean  that  I  would  favor  or  countemmce  any 
such  discrimination.  If  it  shall  be  nuide  to  appear  to  me 
that  any  director  favors  such  discrimination,  he  will  never 
be  re-appointed  by  me.  There  should  be  no  discrimination 
in  the  management  of  the  road  to  favor  or  to  prejudice 
either  port.  Each  should  have  a  fair  and  equal  chance  to 
profit  by  the  advantage  of  nature  and  the  enterprise  of  her 
merchants. 

I  am  astonished  and  grieved  at  the  removal  of  T.  Aren- 
dell  and  Murdock,  if  they  are  such  men  as  I  believe  them 
to  be.  I  will  make  inquiry  about  it. — Is  it  just  to  infer 
from  my  appointment  of  Murdock  that  I  considered  Car- 
teret as  having  no  other  citizen,  save  Ramsey,  tit  to  be  a 
director  ?  Xothing  was  further  from  my  thoughts.  From 
the  information  before  me  I  suppose  he  would  lie  as  ac- 
ceptable to  you  as  any  body  I  could  a])point. 

I  have  taken  much  pains  to  explain.  In  the  innumer- 
able difficulties  I  have  had  to  encounter  I  have  heard  of  no 
im]iortant  complaint,  save  what  comes  from  Govr.  llohUn 
and  my  late  friends  in  Carteret.  I  had  no  right  to  ex- 
pect to  be  able  to  give  such  general  satisfaction.  I  hope 
my  friends  in  Morehead  will  look  over  the  whole  field  of 
my  duties  and  have  some  charity  for  what  they  deem  a 
great  error  to  their  prejudice. 


704  XoKTH  Carolina  Historical  Commission. 

There  are  2-1:  political  news-papers  in  the  State.  Of 
these  15  have  declared  in  favor  of  my  re-election — 2 
against  it — and  seven  as  yet  have  taken  no  position.  Five 
of  the  seven  will  probably  snstain  me,  and  two — the  Xew- 
bern  Times  and  Hendersonville  Pioneer  will  probably 
take  ground  against  me. 

MoREHKAi)  City. 


To  D.  F.  Caldwell. 

Raleigh  July  29/66. 
I  learn  with  real  pain  and  concern  from  our  friend 
Genl  Gilmer  that  I  have  done  or  omitted  to  do  some  thing 
from  which  you  infer  that  I  feel  some  coldness  towards 
you.  I  know  not  of  what  apparent  inattention  or  impro- 
priety I  may  have  been  guilty  w^hich  has  given  you  this 
Assurance  of         inipressioii.     I  kuow  no  man  towards  whom  I  have  felt 

friendship.  i  i    i  •      i  i 

at  all  times  more  unalloyed  kindness  than,  towards  your- 
self. I  always  have  had  and  still  have  the  very  highest 
respect  for  the  honesty  and  independence  you  have  always 
exhibited  both  in  personal  and  political  life — And  if  you 
have  construed  any  act  or  word  of  mine  at  variance  with 
these  declarations,  it  has  been  a  misconstruction. 

You  may  not  have  received  answers  to  some  of  the  in- 
teresting letters  for  which  I  feel  obliged  to  you — simply 
because,  with  only  one  clerk,  it  is  literally  impossible  for 
me  to  do  justice  to  my  correspondents. 

An  effort  is  being  made  by  divers  petitioners  sent  to  the 
President — by  ex-parte  evidence  taken  by  agents  sent  out 
for  the  purpose  by  the  present  military  commandant  of  the 
State, — by  a  portion  of  the  press  and  in  divers  other  ways 
which  gives  it  the  appearance  of  pre-concert,  to  make  the 
impression  that  Union  men  cannot  have  justice  in  our 
Courts — and  hence  that  martial  law  must  be  continued — 
that  we  are  so  disloyal  that  we  ought  not  to  be  reed  into 
the  Union,  etc.  I  am  doing  all  I  can  to  counter-act  it.  I 
would  ask  tlie  General  to  let  me  send  an  agent  with  his 


CORKESPONDENCE    OF    JONATHAN    WoRTIl.  705 

to  insure  fairness  in  these  investigations  if   I   had  })()\ver 
to  appoint  and  pay  such  agents. 
Greensboro. 


To  Cuh))tr]  J'imcs  ^Vrea. 

Rale  roil  July  29/60. 

Yours  of  the  26th  inst.  is  just  received  in  which  you 
quote  me  as  saying  you  participated  in  a  meeting  at  Long's 
Mill  to  nominate  Mr.  Holden  as  Govr.  and  add  "that  is 
not  true.''  I  have  no  copy  of  my  letter  to  you.  If  I  as- 
serted as  you  quote  me  (not  that  I  was  informed  or  had 
heard)  but  as  of  my  knowledge  that  you  participated  in 
the  meeting,  it  was  a  strange  slip  of  the  pen.  In  the  form 
in  which  you  quote  me,  if  I  am  truly  quoted,  your  answer 
is,  perhaps,  sufficiently  courteous. 

In  reply  to  my  friendly  inquiry  what  I  have  done  to 
forfeit  your  confidence  you  frankly  say  "I  have  always 
l)een  a  Whig  or  Union  man  and  you  are  the  great  leader  of 
the  Secession  or  Rebel  party.  I  think  that  explains  the 
whole  matter."  In  reply  I  adopt  your  terms — "that  is 
not  true." 

I  had  expected  a  more  courteous  answer  from  an  old  Review  of  his 

attitude  towards 

friend.     If  you  had  asserted  that  you  heJieved  I  was  the  secession, 
leader  of  the  Secession  or  Rebel  party,  and  assigned  a  rea- 
son for  that  belief,  your  answer  would  have  been  respect- 
ful and  becoming  James  Wren  as  I  once  knew  him. 

You  cannot  be  ignorant  that  I  have  always  opposed  Se- 
cession publicly  and  privately — You  cannot  be  ignorant 
that  my  late  competitor  did  more  prior  to  1861,  than  any 
other  man  in  this  State,  to  inculcate  Secession  and  abuse 
the  Whig  party. — You  know  or  ought  to  know  that  every 
Secessionist  in  the  State  who  voted  for  me  in  the  late  elec- 
tion for  Govr.  voted  for  me  not  as  a  Secessionist,  but  as 
an  unwavering  consistent  Union  man  in  preference  to  a 
renegade  from  their  party.  You  know  or  ought  to  know 
Vol.  2—4 


706  NoRTJi  Carolina  Historical  Commission. 

that  most  of  the  old  consistent  Whig  Counties  gave  me  a 
majority. 

The  horrid  war  being  now  over  in  which  so  many  cruel 
wrongs  have  been  inliicted,  it  becomes  all  good  men  to  try 
to  forgive  their  enemies — allay  animosities  and  to  restore 
brotherly  love  between  man  and  man  and  section  and  sec- 
tion— instead  of  indulging  hatred  and  malevolence.  All 
who  cultivate  these  feelings  will  live  happier  and  be  better 
j>r(  pared  to  die. 


Tu  J .  J .  Jachson. 

Raleigh  July  30/66. 
roncernins;  J  havc  accepted  invitation  to  be  at  Springfield  next  Sat- 

finaiicial  matters.  ^  i         o 

urday  and  will  give  them  a  short  off-hand  speech.  Have 
no  time  to  prepare  a  regular  one. 

My  idea  is — and  it  is  very  decided — that  U.  S.  cur- 
rency will  fitfully  depreciate  indefinitely  and  hence  I 
think  sales  on  credit,  payable  in  U.  S.  currency,  will  in- 
variably result  in  prejudice  to  the  seller.  Sales  on  time 
should  be  for  specie.  Between  the  time  of  our  sale  of 
cotton  to  Mcndenhall  and  the  present,  currency  has  depre- 
ciated some  20  per  cent.  It  will  not  be  strange  if,  by  the 
day  of  payment,  it  shall  be  depreciated  50  or  100  per 
cent.  IS^othing  can  be  more  precarious  than  a  note  pay- 
able in  the  currency  of  the  U.  S. 

If  you  contract  to  sell  any  more  cotton,  on  credit,  let 
the  note  be  payable  in  specie,  so  far  as  I  have  any  interest 
in  it. 

I  cannot  sell  gold  for  silver  at  a  higher  premium  than, 
5  per  cent. — As  I  have  the  money  on  hand  I  desire  to  stop 
interest.  I  thiid-:  I  shall  sell  my  gold  and  carry  up  my 
silver  when  I  go  to  Springfield.  My  debts  to  Rush  are 
nearly  twice  as  much  as  I  supposed.  My  specie  debts  will 
exhaust  my  specie.— Dr.  Roberts  is  directed  to  send  the 
g.)ods  at  Roxana's  to  yon  with  invoice.  My  loss  will  be 
very  severe. 


coerespondence  of  jonathan  wokth. 

Post  Script 

There  are  many  democratic  secessionists  who  would  vote 
for  Genl.  Cox  as  against  me  and  Holden  and  his  zealous 
followers  will  join  in  it.  Cox  is  an  original  secessionist 
of  democratic  stripe  and  was  a  Brigadier  in  the  late  war: 
a  man  of  slender  capacity  and  no  experience  in  civil  mat- 
ters. If  I  have  any  opposition  I  think  it  will  be  Cox, 
backed  by  Holden.  If  the  Holdenites  prefer  to  bring  out 
a  man  (now  exceedingly  improbable)  Cox  will  not  be 
run.  If  he  run  as  the  coalition  candidate,  the  Progress 
and  Standard  and  perhaps  the  Rutherford  8iar  and  Hen- 
derson Pioneer  and  IS^ewbern  Times — all  radicals,  ex- 
cept the  Progress  which  is  secession,  will  support  him.  It 
is  possible  the  Charlotte  papers  and  Wilmington  Dispatch 
may  sustain  him,  but  all  the  honest  Holdenites  and  the 
wiser  and  better  secessionists  will  support  me — 15  of  the 
22  political  papers  in  the  State  are  out  for  me.  Two,  the 
Standard  and  Rutherford  paper  against  me.  The  ISTew- 
bern  Times,  Wilmington  Dispatch,  Progress,  and  the  two 
Charlotte  papers  are  on  the  fence. 

I  regard  opposition  by  Cox  as  not  at  all  formidable — 
I  am  not  sure  if  he  run  alone  that  public  good  will  grow 
out  of  it. 


From  George  Hoirard.^ 

Tarboro,  N.  C.  July  30  1866. 
You  mistook  my  address  and  wrote  to  Wilson.  After 
remaining  there  some  time  your  letter  was  forwarded  here. 
I  have  written  Major  Durham  (ed.  Carolinian)  and  sent 
your  letter  to  him.  He  is  your  friend  and  will  do  you 
justice  during  the  campaign. 


'  George  Howard,  of  Edgecombe,  was  a  Superior  Court  Judge  from 
1859  to  the  close  of  the  war.  He  was  also  a  member  of  the  Couven- 
tions  of  1861  and  1865. 


70S  NoKTH  Carolina  Historical  Commission. 

To  P.  II.  W'insto)!. 

JIalelgu,  July  30/66. 

I  reed  on  the   24th  inst.   a  notification  from  the  Asst. 

Sec.   of  the   Treasnry  that   npon   the   recommendation  of 

Hon.  Jno.    Pool,  Stark  B.  Smith  had  been  confirmed  as 

sun^eyor  at  Windsor  before  my  recommendation  of  E.  L. 

Simmons  was  received. 

Regarding  election      The  onlv  name  now  agitated  for  Govr.  against  me  is 

prospects.  ^j^^^  ^£  q^^^j^  q^^^  bronght  forward,  Imt  only  contingently 

endorsed  by  the  Progress.  The  Editors  in  effect  say  they 
prefer  him  to  me  and  think  in  a  single  handed  race,  he 
would  beat  me — but  that  in  event  the  Holdenites  bring- 
out  opposition,  he  is  opposed  to  a  triangular  contest  and 
would  support  me.  In  other  words  he  prefers  a  wool- 
eyed  democratic  secessionist  to  an  old  time  Union  Whig 
and  much  prefers  me  to  a  Holdenite. 

I  think  the  Holden  party  will  not  bring  out  a  man  and 
the  chief  and  many  of  his  followers  will  encourage  Cox 
to  run  and  in  the  event  of  his  consenting,  will  support 
him.  I  think  I  have  nothing  to  fear  from  such  opposi- 
tion. I  understand  Cox  is  vain  and  confident  as  to  the 
result  and  shall  not  be  surj^rised  if  he  be  my  competitor. 

Windsor. 


To  Judge  D.  F.  Caldwell. 

Raleigh  July  30/66. 
I  have  notice  that  your  pardon  is  granted  and  that  the 
warrant  will  be  forwarded  very  soon. 
Salisbury. 


Correspondence  of  Jonathan  Worth.  709 

To  B.  S.  Hcdricl: 

Ealeigh  July  r!0(l,  1866. 
On  the  return  of  Gov.  Swain  from  your  city  som<- 
months  ago,  he  made  to  me  a  verbal  report  of  the  result 
of  his  mission  which  included  sundry  matters — among 
others  the  looking  after  our  land  scrip.  He  informed  me 
he  had  employed  John  H.  Wheeler  to  look  after  and  re- 
ceive for  the  State,  Gov.  Vance's  letter  book  and  other  doc- 
uments of  the  State  carried  off  by  the  military— aaid  that 
he  had  got  you  to  look  after  the  land  scrip.  This  is  what 
he  tells  me  Avas  his  report  to  me,  of  the  accuracy  of  which 
report  I  entertain  no  doubt — but  when  I  acted  on  it  a  few 
days  afterw^ards,  my  memory  was  that  Mr.  Wheeler  had 
been  engaged  by  him  to  attend  to  both  these  matters,  and 
I  think  I  so  Avrote  to  Mr.  Wheeler.  I  regret  the  mistake — 
but  feel  sure  you  will  not  misconstrue  me.  As  Mr. 
Wheeler  has  been  giving  attention  to  the  land  scrip  under 
ray  letter,  it  seems  expedient  that  the  power  of  atto.  to 
receive  it  issue  to  him.  This  power  of  atto.  issues  from 
the  Treasr.  ]\Ir.  Battle  who  fears  you  may  feel  hurt  about 
the  matter.     I  hope  and  expect  you  will  excuse  my  error. 

Washington,  D.  C. 


From   ir.  T.  CaldwdJ. 

Statesville  X.  C.  July  -Ust  1S66. 

I  have  been  informed  that  certain  persons  have  been  en-  t^'^l'^^j{.|^'^?^y> 
deavoring  ta  prevail  upon  the  military  authorities  at  Ea-  cm-oiiua. 
leigh  and   Washington  to  believe   that  they  are  not  safe 
under  the  present  administration  of  Justice  in  our  State. 

I  cannot  speak  for  other  circuits  of  the  State  but  1  lliink 
I  can  give  you  an  intelligent  opinion  about  lunv  just  i;  has 
been  administered  in  the  (itli  Judicial  District . 

Judge    Mitchell    in    his    charges    to    the    Grand    -Inry, 


710 


NoKTii  Carolina  IIistokical  Commission. 

drew  to  the  attention  of  the  public,  the  importance  of  sub- 
niiltinii-  cheerfully  to  the  situation  and  to  the  laws  of  the 
State,  and  urged  upon  the  people  mutual  forebearance  and 
forgiveness  and  his  influence  was  so  great  on  account  of 
their  high  appreciation  of  his  great  personal  worth — the 
asperities  among  the  people  towards  each  other  seemed 
to  be  greatly  appeased,  and  the  Grand  juries  acted  with 
commendable  liberality.  This  was  more  especially  the 
case  in  the  mountainous  counties  of  the  circuit,  where  a 
diversity  of  political  feeling  had  existed. 

In  the  prosecution  of  our  several  duties  the  Judge  and 
myself  endeavored  to  impress  upon  all  that  we  knew  no 
man's  present  or  former  politics.  And  I  have  yet  to  hear 
of  a  single  complaint  against  either  of  us,  except  in  two 
instances,  one  from  Yadkin — Jesse  Dobbins  and  others — 
and  one  from  Union — John  Madlin  and   others. 

These  parties  were  indicted  dur'infj  tlie  war  for  homi- 
cides. They  were  charged  with  having  killed  Confederate 
or  State  troops,  who  were  endeavoring  to  arrest  and  secure 
them  as  soldiers  in  the  Southern  army — believing  them  in 
both  cases  to  be  protected  by  Gen.  Grant's  Gen.  Order  'No. 
3,  with  the  approbation  of  the  Judge  I  caused  them  to  be 
discharged  and  directed  the  Clerks  not  to  issue  or  serve 
any  process  upon  them  in  the  cases — I  yielded  implicity 
to  the  order  and  they  are  secure.  But  from  want  of  con- 
fidence in  the  civil  officers,  I  suppose,  they  seemed  to  press 
their  situation  upon  the  attention  of  the  military  authori- 
ties, and  m  consequence  I  have  received  sundry  special 
orders  from  Headquarters  to  desist  from  their  prosecu- 
tion— the  very  thing  I  had  already  done  without  any 
special  order. 

T  can  assure  that  no  man  has  been  allowed  by  Judge 
Mitchell  or  myself  to  be  persecuted  and  no  man  has  been 
prosecuted  for  opinion's  sake. 

There  were  several  uk  n  in  the  counties  of  Ashe,  Wilkes, 
and  Alexander  who  had  served  in  the  Union  army  and 
after  their  return  la-t  year,  some  of  them  who  probably 


COKRESPONDENCE    OF    JONATHAN    AVoKTII.  711 

thought  they  had  enemies  to  punish  committed  depreda- 
tions of  various  kinds,  and  they  have  been  indicted  by  the 
Grand  Juries.  But  as  far  as  I  am  able  to  learn  these  in- 
stances were  rare  and  they  closed  pretty  much  with  the 
full  reorganization  of  the  State  Government. 

And  I  can  assure  you,  that  rhcre  was  never  a  more  quiet, 
civil,  loyal — law-abiding  people — citizens  of  any  State, 
than  have  been  the  people  of  this  circuit  during  this  present 
year.  Of  course  many  bad  men  are  in  all  States  and  com- 
munities but  we  have  had  no  political  or  other  disturbances 
— and  the  people  instead  thereof  have  been  and  are  now 
devoting  themselves  more  assidiously  than  ever  to  their  va- 
rious pursuits. 

This  much  I  have  written  not  only  in  justice  to  Judge 
^I'tchell  and  myself  but  of  the  people  of  our  circuit. 


From  D.  F.  Caldwell. 

^.   B.  I  have  not  time  to  read  over  and  I  may  have 
made  many  mistakes  as  I  have  had  to  write  in  great  haste 

Gkeensboeo^  IsT.  C.  July  31,  1SG6. 
Your  kind  letter  of  the  29  instant  has  iust  been  re-  Review'of  ins 

■'  position  and  dis- 

ceived,  and  I  make,  haste  to  reply.  And  you  must  pardon  cussion  of  public 
me  for  speaking  plainly  and  wishing  what  I  say  to  be  con- 
sidered in  strict  confidence  between  us.  If  my  course 
from  my  infancy  has  not  been  such  as  to  convince  you 
that  I  was  not  only  your  friend,  but  that  of  all  your  family 
I  do  not  know  how  I  could  by  acts  satisfy  you  of  that 
fact.  I  labored,  tit  at' s  the  word,  for  you  against  Dockery 
and  during  the  last  war  defended  you  when  I  heard  you 

slandered  and  denounced  as  a  d N^antucket  Quaker 

Tory  and  Traitor,  etc.,  when  such  defence  endangered  my 
personal  welfare  and  happiness,  if  not  my  life.      T  have 


712  XoKTii  Cakolina  Histokicai.  Commission. 

^vitllill  the  larit  15  years  recoiiinieiKkd  yoii  through  the 
pajjers  and  ( Isewhere  for  more  than  one  ])Osition.  I  did  my 
best  to  keep  tlie  conservative  party  nnited  by  trying  to  have 
a  eonv.  made  on  my  owti  hook — While  yonr  particular  and 
bosom  friends  ignored  me  altogether — still  I  worked  on 
for  yo}i.  I  stood  by  you  in  the  Fisher  controversy  to  the 
last  and  if  needed  I  would  have  done  service.  At  the 
last  session  of  the  Convention  1  did  all  I  could  to  keep 
opposition  down.  And  at  your  own  request  I  went  to 
Randolph  and  made  two  speeches  for  you  that  done  me  no 
good  in  a  professional  line,  as  I  have  reason  to  know. 
And  yet  I  did  all  cheerfully.  And  why,  because  I  hon- 
estly believed  that  you  were  an  honest  patriotic  union-lov- 
ing and  unselfish  patriot,  who  would  rather  be  right  and 
do  right  than  to  be  president  of  the  United  States.  I 
never  dreamed  that  w^hen  you  were  approached  and  most 
respectfully  asked  to  consider  the  propriety  of  acting,  or 
recommending  action  on  certain  suggestions  relative  to  the 
swamp  land  and  other  matters  of  vital  state  interest  that 
you  would  turn  on  your  feet  with  the  remark  "That  these 
measures,  as  all  the  suggestions  I  had  made  you  thought 
had  some  merit  in  them  but  that  you  could  not  now  in 
the  midst  of  the  impending  campaign — ^but  after  the  elec- 
tion was  over— you  would  be  glad  to  have  any  news,  etc. 
You  then  turned  to  your  table  and  from  that  hour  to  the 
hour  of  my  departure  for  home,  thmigh  often  in  your 
rf>om  never  spoke  to  or  noticed  me  again,  that  I  now  re- 
member. This  I  thought  decidedly  cool,  especially  w^heo 
I  witnessed  the  gi*eat  familiarity  that  existed  between 
yourself  and  many  others.  Many  of  whom  I  have  heard 
speak  of  Jonathan  Worth  long  before  and  under  diiferent 
circumstances.  Then  again  the  appointments  that  you 
have  igTiored  all  the  doctrines  and  principles  you  have 
heretofore  advanced  and  advocated.  You  came  down  upon 
Fisher  and  others  for  appointing  new  Directors  on  the  X. 
C.  and  other  Ttail  Roads,  who  had  <li)ne  nothing  for  them 


I 


CoRRESrOXDENCE    OF    JoNATIlAN    WcRTII.  713 

and  had  no  stocl-.  You  also  had  much  to  say  against  Mr. 
JMoore  the  doer  of  odd  jobs  about  the  shop  and  brothers. 
And  you  appointed  the  Dr.  a  Director.  Besides  I  kn()\\ 
of  no  man  that  you  have  appointed  Whig  or  Locofoco  that 
was  not  opposed  to  the  course  you  approved  during  the 
war  except  Kerr  and  Mendenhalh  Talk  of  fnends  and 
friendship  in  this  connexion  is  to  outrage  all  the  better 
feelings  of  the  heart  and  insult  the  spirit  of  our  honor 
and  manhood.  There  is  not  one  of  your  appointees,  ex- 
cepting the  two  I  have  named,  that  would  have  thought 
you  worthy  to  fill  any  post  of  honor  in  State,  l^ation  in  or 
out  of  the  State.  Xor  would  they  have  then  voted  for 
you.  I  have  always  tried  to  act  consistently  and  live  so 
that  the  most  maligTiant  of  my  enemies  could  not  find  any- 
thing to  sav  agaiilst  me.  Yet  I  have  suffered  the  gravest 
indignities  from  the  hands  of  some  of  your  appointees,  for 
the  part  I  took  for  peace  and  regiilation,  etc.  They  even 
llafe  at  me  in  the  streets  as  if  I  were  a  sheep.  They  are  all 
my  deadly  political  opponents  and  labor  to  drag  me  down 
at  all  times.  Such  men  as  myself  who  voted  for  you 
and  cannot  aj^prove  of  the  course  of  Holden  and  the  ultra 
men  in  CongTess — even  persecuted  hated  and  pursued  in 
every  way  and  whenever  an  opportunity  is  afforded  Dr. 
Mendenhall,  my  brother  and  myself  have  been  blessed  by 
some  of  them  in  no  unconnnon  way,  especially  the  two 
former.  Or  great  falsehoods  have  come  to  my  ears.  In 
sliort,  the  honest,  consistent  union  men,  as  well  as  those 
who  did  not  go  with  us,  for  your  Excellency  against, 
have  been  singled  out  and  are  today  hated  and  denounced 
in  the  most  bitter  and  malignant  manner.  And  the  de- 
cree has  gone  forth  from  the  lips  of  your  great  leaders, 
that  all  who  thought  and  acted  with  you,  as  union  men 
during  the  war  shall  be  branded  as  Cain  and  sink\,  to  rise 
no  more  as  politicians.  They  are  all  traitors  Tories, 
Itedstrings,  so  called  Union  men,  or  poor  white  trash. 
And  these  are  the  men  that  your  Excellency  delighted  to 
know  and   hath   honored   above  all  others.      These  thinc's 


714  North  Carolina  Historical  Commission. 

with  the  treatment  you  gave  ine  led  me  to  remark  more 
than  once  in  the  presence  of  our  fnend  Genl.  Gilmer  that 
you  had  disappointed  me  in  the  course  you  had  pursued. 
That  I  hoped  when  you  were  elected  that  you  would  de- 
vote yourself  to  bettering  the  condition  of  N.  C.  rather 
than  acting  the  part  of  a  partizan  politician.  And  I  was 
honestly  of  that  opinion — hence  the  alacrity  with  which  I 
have  always  up  to  the  present  hours  given  you  my  support. 
And  it  pains  me  to  know  that  you  have  so  exerted  your- 
self and  distributed  your  favors,  as  to  prostrate  many, 
very  many,  true  union  men  in  the  State.  Or  perhaps  it 
would  be  more  accurate  to  say,  aided  others  by  giving 
them  position  and  influence,  to  prostrate  many  of  your 
old  friends  for  the  present.  But  as  regards  myself  though 
my  name  may  be  cast  out  as  well  and  though  I  may  have 
suffered  much  in  person  and  reputation  and  may  still 
have  to  suffer  much  re])roach  and  shame  for  the  course  I 
have  pursued  I  am  not  ashamed  of  it  or  any  of  those  who 
'stood  by  and  with  me  nor  shall  I  desert  or  denounce  them. 
N^ever,  no  never,  nor  will  I  for  any  consideration  reward 
these  enemies  and  bitter  rivals  with  all  the  honors.  I 
have  to  confess  that  I  prefer  like  Moses  to  suffer  the  re- 
proach of  the  righteous  forever  than  triumph  for  a 
campaign  or  two  with  those  enemies.  I  have  spoken 
plainly  but  not  half  as  pointedl}^  as  I  might  and  I  hope 
you  will  not  for  so  doing.  The  times  demand  it.  Xor 
do  I  wish  you  to  suppose  that  for  noticing  and  deeply 
regrcting  your  many  inconsistr ncies  and  bringing  some  of 
them  to  your  notice,  that  I  am  not  your  friend  for  such 
is  not  the  fact.  But  I  would  have  you  believe  that  I  am 
no  Toady  or  hanger  on  power.  isTor  do  I  think  it  wise  or 
prudent  to  aid  a  miserable  old  sullen  aristocratic  clique 
to  continue  their  sway  in  N.  C.  forever.  The  convention 
that  was  called  to  restore  the  State  to  the  Union,  the  con- 
vention that  refused  to  endorse  Holden  and  that  brought 
you  out  and  elected  you  did  not  nor  do  even  now  think  so 
to  my  certain  knowledge.     And  T  do  know  that  when  Gov. 


COKRESPONDENCE    OF    JONATHAN    WoRTH.  yj5 

Graliiim,  Judge  Manly,  Ruliiii  and  hosts  of  such  men  let 
no  man  of  inilnence  or  lit  occasion  pass  to  denounce  and 
belittle  that  patriotic  body  of  men  and  all  they  have  done 
it  will  not  be  quietly  submitted  to.  I  have  thus  far  exerted 
all  the  influence  I  possess  to  keep  down  opposition  to  your 
Excellency  and  allay  party  excitement  and  sectional 
biliousness.  And  so  I  shall  continue  to  do.  But  if  the 
secessionalists  and  your  political  friends  continue  to  de- 
nounce the  members  of  this  Convention  and  constituiioiA 
as  they  have  and  are,  in  and  out  of  the  papers  I  feel  con- 
fident that  you  may  look  out  for  opposition.  This  I  re- 
peat I  shall  regret.  But  you  will  have  none  to  blame  but 
yourself.  You  have  been  so  exceedingly  anxious  to  keep 
the  secessionalists  from  bringing  out  opposition  to  you 
that  you  are  likely  to  force  your  old  union  friends  to 
unite  on  some  one  who  will  not  contribute  so  much  to  aid 
these  enemies  '^^to  hury  them  so  deep  that  they  shall  never 
see  a  political  resurrection."  I  can  never  go  with  the 
ultras  in  Congress  nor  shall  I  ever  contribute  to  raising 
a  clamour  against  the  conservative  men  of  this  State.  It 
is  true  many  of  them  are  honest  anel  poor  and  uninflu- 
ential  as  I  am  and  weigh  but  little  in  the  political  scales 
when  compared  with  the  great  and  influential  characters 
who  are  so  blessed  with  talent  that  tlicy  are  fit,  and  only 
they,  to  rule,  bfjth  in  State  and  field  in  the  Union  or  in  the 
Confederacy.  And  that  they  are  consistent  and  honest  and 
worthy  to  be  trusted  at  all  times  in  all  places,  I  do  not 

think  so — Some  of  these  men  I  know  are  corrupt  and 

but  I  will  say  no  more.     ISTow  you  have  my  honest 

sentiment  and  true  feelings  and  from  one  who  has  always 
proven  himself  to  be  your  friend,  under  adversity  and  per- 
secution. 


716  XuKTH  Carolina  Historical  Commission. 

7'o  J .  J .  Jack' son. 

IiALKiGii^  Aug.  1/66. 
Concerning  the  W\,  \x.^y^,  iin])()S('(l  oil  the  board  of  Internal  Improvement 

appointment  of  ^  i 

Directors.  ^j^,.  ,1,,,^^.  ^f  appoiutiiio-  four  directors  for  the  C.  F.  &  1). 

R.  Xav.  Co. 

Wlu'tlicr  such  dircclors  can  do  anything  in  the  way  of 
i^aviiiii'  fragments  and  preserving  a  part  of  the  works  I  am 
ignorant.  From  what  1  have  heard,  the  works  above  Buck- 
horn  are  in  good  order,  and  if  so,  I  should  think  this  part 
of  the  Kiver  a  good  feeder  to  the  coal-fields  road  and  to 
the  Chatham  road  whicb  1  suppose  will  be  finished  at 
no  very  distant  day.  It  has  occurred  to  me  that  those 
two  corporations  ought  to  feel  a  deej)  interest  in  preserv- 
ing these  works  and  hence  I  am  thinking  of  making  GenI 
Cox.  and  II.  L.  Myrover,  the  presidents  of  these  roads 
two  of  the  directors  of  the  C.  F.  &  D.  K.  :N'av.  Co.  I  had 
also  l)een  thinking  of  making  you  and  such  other  person 
as  you  may  suggest,  the  other  two.  It  would  be  attended 
with  some  trouble  for  you  for  which  you  would  find  no 
other  compensation  than  the  consciousness  of  contributing 
something  in  keeping  alive  an  enterprise  in  which  you 
have  always  felt  a  deep  intei-est  and  the  free  travel  on  all 
the  roads  which  I  believe  is  always  accorded  to  directors 
in  all  the  public  works. 

Let  me  hear  from  you  at  large  on  this  subject  at  an 
early  day. 

P.  S.  I  am  in  decj)  watir,  trying  to  counteract  a  con- 
certed scheme  to  ])rejudice  the  State  and  fix  the  military 
on  us,  by  proving  by  ex- parte  statements  and  petitions 
that  the  loyal  men  (so-called)  cannot  have  justice  in  our 
Courts,  Our  present  military  Commandant,  Gen.  Robin- 
son, has  had  out  and  probably  has  out  now,  military  sub- 
ordinates, taking  and  reporting  to  him  affidavits  and  states 
ments  to  establish  this  fact.  Gen.  Grant's  order  of  July 
1/66  enjoining  on  all  officers  in  the  States    lately     in  re- 


COKKESPONDE^VCE    OF    JONATHAN    WoKTII. 

bellion,  to  arrest  all  persons  guiltj  of  offenses  of  A\liich 
our  Courts  have  taken  no  cognizance  and  hold  them  in 
custody  nntil  a  proper  judicial  tribune  shall  be  ready  and 
■willing  to  try  them,  which  seems  to  contemplate  no  war- 
rant or  preliminary  trial  and  to  allow  no  bail,  treats  these 
states  are  still  on  martial  law.  Gen.  Robinson  claims  in 
oihcial  letters  to  me  that  the  military  has  the  right  to  de- 
cide whether  our  judges  fail  to  discharge  their  duty  and 
to  depose  any  of  the  civil  authorities  of  the  State.  I  have 
addressed  a  strong  remonstrance  to  the  President.  I  am 
not  over  confident  that  he  will  disapprove  these  assump- 
tions of  militaiy  domination  over  us.  My  time  and 
capacity  to  manage  the  difficulties  surrounding  me  are 
heavily  taxed.  I  think  I  am  maintaining  the  dignity  of 
my  position  with  due  regard  to  prudence. 

[P.  S.]  All  prospect  of  opposition  to  me  is  narrowed 
down  to  Gen.  Cox,  in  the  contingency  that  the  H>)ldenites 
bring  forward  no  candidate.  He  is  confident  of  beating 
me  single-handed,  because  he  was  a  soldier  and  secession- 
ist. I  know  no  man  of  standing  who  encourages  him  and 
no  journal  (save  Progress  and  Standard)  which  would 
support  him. 

PiTTSBORO. 


To  J.  A.  Biitner. 

Raleigh  Aug  1  ISGO. 

I  herewith  return  to  you  as  requested  your  interesting 
letter  on  the  subject  of  grape  culture  and  wine-making 
in  Xorth  Carolina,  and  feel  complimented  by  your  design 
to  address  your  communication  on  the  subject,  to  me. 

Your  design  is  a  truly  praiseworthy  one  and  you  have 


18  N^OKTH  Carolina  Historical  Commission. 

my  heartiest  good  wishes  for  a  successful  issue  in  your 
efforts  to  help  our  poor  old  State.  I  authorise  you  to  use 
my  nauie  as  you  propose. — 

WlIITEVILLK. 


From  B.  S.  Hedrick. 

Washington,  D.  C.  Aug.  1,  1866. 

Yours  of  the  30th  is  received.  Col.  Wheeler  and  my- 
self ''harmonize*'  and  although  I  did  not,  until  your  ex- 
planation, understand  the  matter  fully,  still  I  was  very 
wdlling  that  the  Col.  take  charge  of  the  Land  Scrip  matter. 
For  the  trouble  was  I  think  with  the  Commissioner  of  the 
Land  Office,  who  was  not  pushing  the  matter  as  he  should, 
and  wnth  him  I  believe  Col.  W^heeler  would  be  able  to 
exert  more  influence  than  I  could.  I  do  not  believe  the 
Sec.  of  the  Interior  was  in  fault  at  all.  In  fact  I  know 
he  was  not.  But  the  Com.  of  the  Land  Office,  when  I 
saw  him,  had  by  far  too  much  to  say  about  the  ''State 
Agent",  and  seemed  rather  cross.  The  present  acting 
Commissioner  is  an  old  friend  of  Col.  Wheeler,  and  the 
matter  is  as  safe  in  his  hands  as  it  could  be  in  any  ones. 

P.  S.  I  have  a  letter  from  Starbuck,  who  says  that  so 
far  as  Forsythe  is  concerned,  the  Courts  in  no  way  favor 
"Secesh"  against  the  Union  men.  A  few  rowdy  rehs  at- 
tempted to  prevent  the  celebration  of  the  4th  of  July,  by 
the  Union  men  in  Salem.  But  in  the  end  the  Union  men 
came  off  the  victors,  and  the  rebs,  had  to  knock  under.  If 
there  is  any  grounds  for  complaint,  I  judge  it  is  more 
likely  to  be  in  Stokes  than  any  of  the  counties  this  (East) 
side  of  the  mountains.  When  I  Avas  in  Davidson  last 
winter  there  were  some  complaints  that  the  LTnion  men 
were  more  hardly  dealt  by  than  the  rebels  for  offenses  com- 
mitted before  the  end  of  the  war. 


Correspondence  of  Jonathan  Worth.  719 

To  Winiani  A.  Allen. 

Raleigh  Aug.  1  1800. 
Yours  of  the  18th  June  was  reed  some  time  am).     I  was  Difficulties  of  his 

^  lH)silion. 

unprepared,  without  a  good  deal  of  investigation  and 
[word  illegihle]  then  to  answer  the  legal  question  you  pro- 
pounded. I  deferred  answ^'ring  hoping  I  should  soon  find 
leisure  to  prepare  an  answer  which  could  he  of  any  ser- 
vice to  you.  As  often  happens  in  cases  of  such  [postpone- 
ment] I  find  my  answer  has  been  too  long  delayed.  Since 
the  coming  here  of  the  new  military  commandant  I  have 
been  beset  by  embarrassing  difficulties  of  the  worst  char- 
acter, requiring  the  exercise  of  all  my  faculties,  mental  and 
physical.  I  regret  I  have  not  time  to  give  you  particulars. 
The  tendency  of  his  measures  has  been  to  impeach  the  im- 
partiality of  our  Courts  and  juries  and  hence  to  prove 
the  necessity  of  a  continuance  of  the  military  and  of 
martial  law.  One  of  the  agencies  employed  by  him  is 
the  sending  out  of  military  subordinates  to  take  ex  parte 
statements  from  malcontents,  which  they  reduce  to  writing 
and  report  to  their  superior.  Other  movements  of  like 
character  warrant  the  suspicion  that  a  concerted  effort  is 
being  made  to  make  the  impression  that  men  loyal  to  the 
IT.  S.  government,  cannot  have  justice  in  our  Courts.  The 
delicate  and  important  correspondence,  which  this  state  of 
things  has  imposed,  and  w^hieh  is  at  present  inexpedient 
to  publish,  together  with  the  innumerable  duties  growing 
out  of  our  anomalous  condition,  superadded  to  the  ordi- 
nary duties  of  the  Executive,  all  which  I  have  been  per- 
forming with  no  increase  of  clerical  aid  beyond  what 
has  been  employed  for  forty  years  past,  requires  the  con- 
stant exercise  of  all  my  faculties.  I  say  this  much  as  an 
apology  for  my  apparent  neglect. 

I  doubt  whether  the  land  tax  imposed  on  us  during 
the  war  can  be  legally  exacted — but  this  is  a  legal  ques- 
tion  requiring  legal  learning   and   research.      As   to  the 


'20  North  Carolina  Historical  Commission, 

fornicr,  I  iiuikc  n<it  luucli  |)r('teiisi()ii ;  and  the  routine  of 
otiicial  duty  leaves  me  no  time  for  the  latter. 
Kenansville. 


to  Caldwell. 


Tu  I).  F.  CaldwcU. 

Rai.kkjii    ,1  ii'j.  2  ISGd. 

Personal  relations  Your  of  the  ol,  distiiiginshcd  for  the  frankness  Avhich 
always  characterises  3'ou,  astonishes  me  beyond  any  thing 
I  can  remember  in  my  past  life.  Oppressed  as  I  am  with 
many  matters  of  grave  import  which  I  deem  it  inexpedient 
to  give  to  the  ])ress  and  which  I  would  gladly  ex])lain  to 
you  in  a  ^^ersonal  interview,  J  cannot  methodically  review 
your  letter. 

You  recount  your  steady  adherence  to  me  through  an 
humble  career  of  almost  universal  evil  report : — I  have 
rarely  had  the  fortune  to  be  in  good  report.  Your  recital 
is  true.  None  of  it  has  escaped  my  memory.  I  acknowl- 
edge fully  the  claims  you  have  on  my  gratitude.  What 
you  think  of  yr  suggesting  some  scheme  for  the  revisal  of 
the  same  scheme  that  I  established  with  personal  dis- 
courtesy to  you  is  an  unbecoming  solicitude  to  secure  my 
re-election.  I  have  a  very  indistinct  recollection  of  the 
circumstances.  I  had  regarded  you  as  I  do  one  of  my  own 
household.  I  had  felt  so  entirely  incapable  of  treating 
you  improperly  that  I  never  thought  of  taking  pains  to 
avoid  acts  capable  of  misconstruction.  I  expected,  if  you 
thought  I  did  wrong  you  would  have  pointed  out  my 
error  to  me,  before  you  complained  to  others.  You  say  in 
eflfcct  that  I  have  exhibited  kindness  and  consideration 
for  my  late  political  opponents  and  have  given  you  and 
my  old  friends  the  cold  shoulder: — that  I  have  exhibited 
anxiety  to  prevent  a  contest  with  a  secessionist  opponent. 
— that  my  a]ipointments  excepting  Mendenhall  and  Kerr, 
have  ignored  our  old  political  friends  and  exhibited  aii 
undue  leaning  to  those  who  formerly  traduced  and  abused 


Correspondence  of  JonathxVN  Worth.  721 

mc:  that  my  action  in  rc^aticii  t*)  tlic  [(uhlic  w.»iks  of  the 
State,  are  not  in  accordance  with  my  })revious  profession. 
IsTot withstanding  all  these  evidences  of  want  of  principle 
and  nnworthy  subserviency,  you  assure  me  you  are  still 
my  friend.  My  dear  Sir,  if  I  am  guilty  of  all  these  things 
I  deserve  to  have-no  friends,  aiiy  where  on  this  green  earth, 
If  I  have  acted,  as  you  sui)pose,  as  to  aid  the  secessionists 
to  override  and  trample  upon  Union  men  I  do  not  vle- 
serve  to  be  treated  with  consideration  by  any  man. 

These  errors  that  you  impute  to  me  are,  so  numerous 
and  stated  in  such  generalities  that  it  would  take  a  reply 
of  inordinate  length  to  answer  all  of  them  and  it  would 
take  a  wide  review  to  meet  the  intimation  that  in  the  ex- 
ercise of  my  patronage  I  have  aided  a  ''miserable  old  sul- 
len aristocratic  clique  to  continue  their  sway  in  jST.  C. 
forever" — I  cannot  conjecture  to  wdiat  action  of  mine 
you  refer. 

You  certainly  do  not-  refer  to  my  Board  of  Internal 
Improvement — ^^¥inston  and  Ramsey,  according  to  my  in- 
formation, are  and  have  been  as  consistent  Whigs  and 
Union  men  as  my  friend  D.  F.  Caldwell  of  Guilford — 
Mendenhall  you  admit  a-s  one  of  the  only  two  exceptions 
where  I  do  not  deserve  censure.  Major  Husted  was  an 
old  Whig — never  a  Secessionist — So  also  Stephen  D.  Pool. 
The  latter  entered  the  army — but  always  and  noiv  con- 
de'mns  secession.  Surely  you  do  not  belong  to  that  pro- 
scription class  who  would  exclude  from  confidence  all  who 
aided  the  South  after  rebellion  commenced.  If  so,  the 
teste  oath  is  right,  and  the  latest  constitutional  amend- 
ment and  the  radical  Congress  are  right — all  which  I  be- 
lieve you  condemn  as  I  do.  This  disposes  of  the  most  im- 
portant of  my  appointments. — 

You  cite  the  appointment  of  Kerr  as  the  other  excep- 
tion to  the  general  rule  of  my  conduct. 

As  to  the  appointment  of  Directors  on  the  R.  Rs.— I  Jhe  ^"er  of 
appointed  two  democrats  on  the  X.  C.  R.  R. — One  on  the 

Vol.  2—5 


722  North   Carolina  Historical  Commission. 

A  \-  X.  ('.  \l.  Iv. — nor  one  on  the  K.  &  G.  Road — and,  I 
tliiuk,  only  one  on  the  W.  jST.  C.  R.  K. — 1  am  not  certain 
as  to  the  last — I  confided  niiudi  in  Siiiionton  and  Ramsey 
as  to  this  road,  and  have  no  personal  acquaintance  with 
some  of  the  appointees  Now  if  I  violated  in  these  nomi- 
nations any  principles  I  have  ever  professed,  either  in 
a  political  oi-  a  bnsiness  point  of  view,  I  have  not  perceived 
it. — I  have  always  maintained  that  the  appointment  of 
Directors  shonld  not  be  a  political  one — that  fitness  for 
the  discharge  -of  the  duties  should  be  primary — if  all  my 
appointments  had  been  of  my  own  political  stripe  I  wonld 
have  been  justly  suspected  of  abandonment  of  principle. 
The  democrats  on  the  N.  C.  R.  R.  are  Berry,  an  old  origi- 
nal stockholder  and  early  director — and  decided  anti-seces- 
sionist— and  Strange,  a  secessionist  of  mild  stripe.  I 
deemed  the  Wilmington  stockholders,  who  had  contributed 
so  largely  to  the  original  stock,  as  having  strong  claims  to 
a  Director.  I  requested  Mr.  Wright,  D.  G.  Parsley  and 
Mr.  Cowan  to  ascertain  who  would  be  acceptable  to  the 
Wilmington  stockholders.  I  preferred  he  would  be  a  dem- 
ocrat, as  little  objectionable  as  possible — They  fixed  on 
Strange. — 
Various  railroad  You  allude  to  the  docr  of  odd  jobs  at  the  shops.  I  in- 
fer tliat  Dr.  Moore  is  some  way  connected  with  the  Moore 
to  whom  1  r(>ferred  in  my  R.  R.  Report  of  1859.  If  so 
I  am  not  informed  of  it.  He  was  strongly  recommended 
to  me  by  men  whom  you  respect  as  well  as  I.  He  owned 
stock,  not  acquired  to  qualify  him — lived  at  the  point 
where  a  director  ought  to  live,  etc.  He  was  anti-seces- 
sion, my  friend,  etc.  If  I  could  have  made  a  less  excep- 
tional appointment  in  Alamance,  I  know  not  who  is  the 
man.  I  ap])ointed  my  ohl  friend  Coffin  proxy  for  the 
State.  He  is  and  has  been  all  the  time,  as  I  believe,  as 
mnch  o]iposed  to  secession  and  disunion  as  yon  or  I. — 
^'ou  do  not  even  include  Lassiter  and  Bond  with  Menden- 
hall  and  Kerr. — But  for  your  merciless  demmciations  of 
all    my    a))])<Hntments    (save    Kerr    and    Mendenhall)     I 


mutters. 


Correspondence  of  Jonathan  Worth.  723 

should  have  counted  conlideutially  in  your  approval  of  the 
nominations  of  Means,  Roberts,  Gilmer  and  Turner.  I 
know  not  your  objections  to  them  and  I  cannot  defend  my 
action.  You  speak  of  my  having  "ignored  my  old  and  tried 
friends.  I  cannot  conceive  how  I  am  justly  obnoxious  to 
this  charge.  The  appointment  of  Adgt.  Genl  falls  within 
your  broad  terms  of  censure.  I  am  greatly  surprised  at 
it.  I  thought  the  nomination  was  universally  acceptable. 
I  presume  you  do  not  refer  to  a  matter  of  so  little  im- 
portance as  aids — nor  can  I  believe  that  you  refer  to  my 
nomination  of  men,  to  manage  without  pay,  our  misman- 
aged Lunatic  Asylum.  I  do  not  believe  a  fitter  board 
can  be  constituted  for  the  purpose.  I  never  knew  a  time 
when  I  would  have  made  such  appointments  with  ani/ 
reference  to  the  jjolitical  stripe  of  the  appointees. 

I  know  you  candidly  believe  what  you  have  written. 
I  hope  on  a  review  of  the  whole  circumstances  you  will 
conclude  you  have  misconceived  or  misconstrued  my  ac- 
tions. 

If  my  views  as  to  puldic  men  and  public  measures  have 
undergone  any  change,  I  am  unconscious  of  it,  or  if  any  of 
mj  acts  warrant  or  even  give  color  for  commentary,  I  do 
not  perceive  it.  If  I  can  be  made  to  suspect  that  lust  of 
office,  has  made  me  subservient  and  cringing — and  dis- 
courteous to  an  old  friend  and  as  regardless  of  my  politi- 
cal views  as  you  suppose,  I  will  at  once  withdraw^  my 
name  as  a  Candidate  for  Govr.  or  any  pretension  to  public 
honor  or  even  personal  consideration. 

I  assure  you  that  I  am  distressed  that  I  should  have 
done  any  thing  capable  of  the  construction  that  I  feel  less 
cordial  towards  you  than  I  ever  did.  I  would  not  be  more 
surprised  if  my  brothers  were  to  charge  me  with  coldness 
and  ingratitude. — 

A  concerted  effort  is  being  made  by  military  officers  in 
this  State,  by  traveling  about  and  taking  ex-parte  state- 
ments, to  prove  that  our  laws  are  not  impartially  adminis- 
tered.    We  have  men  among  us,  aiding  in  this  scheme. 


724  XoRTii  Carolina  Historical  Commission. 

i\\u\  i:i'ttiiiii-  ])('titioiis  addressed  to  the  Military  Com- 
niaiulant  of  the  State  and  the  Prest.  of  the  U.  S.,  charging 
that  Union  nu  n  are  oppressed  in  the  adminstration  of  onr 
hiws.  'J'lic  object  is  to  show  the  necessity  of  keeping  in 
the  State  force  enongh  to  protect  Union  men.  I  enter- 
tain no  doubt  that  these  imputations  are  unfounded,  and 
am  doing  my  best  to  counteract  the  attack  upon  the  ad- 
ministration of  Justice. 

I  liave  no  idea  on  what  you  rest  your  assertion  as  to 
my  extreme  anxiety  to  avoid  a  contest  with  a  Secession 
Competitor.  I  am  not  aware  of  nesting  or  exhibiting  such 
anxiety.  I  had  the  vanity  to  hope  I  was  administering  the 
government  of  the  State  as  satisfactorily  to  our  people 
as  could  be  expected, — and  have  thought  it  the  wish  of 
the  people  that  I  should  serve  another  term — and  that 
many  evils  would  grow  out  of  a  contest — and  hence  I 
hoped  there  would  be  no  opposition :  but  if  you  have  taken 
a  fair  view  of  my  administration,  I  do  not  deserve  a  con- 
tinuance of  popular  favor,  or  of  personal  respect  among 
good  men. — But  I  deny  emphatically  that  I  have  been 
anxious  or  tliat  I  have  done — or  abstained  from  doing  any 
thing  to  avoid  a.  Secessionist  being  rim  against  me.  There  ^ 
were  many  good  men  of  the  same  political  faith  as  myself. 
who  voted  against  me  in  the  last  election.  I  have  taken 
some  pains  to  satisfy  them,  by  fair  and  legitimate  means. 

[P.  S.]   Your  request  that  your  letter  be  regarded  as 
confidential  shall  be  strictly  observed. 
Greexsijoro. 


To  James  M.  McGowan. 

Raleigh,  Aug.  2  1866. 
\ours  of  the  18th  inst.  was  duly  received.     An  extra- 
ordinary press  of  official  dutes  has  prevented  an  earlier 
reply. 


COEKESPONDENOE    OF    JONATHAN    WoRTII.  725 

You  state  a  ease  of  extreme  hardship  but  your  trouble 
grows  out  of  your  omission  to  plead  and  exhibit  your 
license  at  the  trial. 

I  have  no  authority  to  oli'er  the  money  refunded  to  you. 
— nor  has  any  other  officer  of  the  State  the  right  to  do  so. 
You  have  my  sympathy  but  I  have  not  the  power  to  give 
you  the  relief  you  ask. 

Smithville. 


Fiom  William  P.  Bynnm.^ 

LiNcoLNTON,  Aug.  3,  1866. 
Your  correspondence  with  General  Robinson,  including  conditions  in 

.  Western  Nortli 

the  report  of  ilajor  ±rank   W  alcott,  one  of  the  military  Carolina, 
comniissoners  sent  to  investigate  alleged  persecutions  of 
Union  men  w^as  handed  me  by  Judge  Shipp  for  my  con- 
sideration. 

Maj.  Walcott's  investigations  were  confined  to  the 
Counties  of  Watauga,  Caldwell  and  Burke.  These  three 
counties  constitute  a  part  of  the  circuit  of  which  I  am 
prosecuting  officer,  and  the  reflections  cast  upon  the  ad- 
ministration of  Justice  in  those  counties  call  for  some 
notice  by  the  officer  chosen  by  the  State  to  enforce  the  ad- 
ministration of  the  criminal  law. 

The  official  report  of  the  military  commissioner  makes 
a  general  charge  that  in  these  counties  Union  men  are 
pursued  with  ^'malicious  persecutions",  while  they  have 
little  hope  of  justice,  and  the  courts  of  law  are  so  closed 
against  them  that  they  make  no  effort  to  obtain  redress. 

I  believe  that  Maj.  Walcott  is  greatly  in  error  both  as 
to  his  facts  and  his  conclusions. 


'  William  P.  Bynum  had  been  a  Whig  lawyer  of  Kutherford  until 
1861  when  he  entered  the  Confederate  army,  rising  to  the  rank  of 
Colonel.  He  resigned  in  1863  to  become  Solicitor  of  the  mountain 
district.  In  1865  he  was  elected  to  the  convention  and  later  to  the 
State  Senate.  He  became  a  staunch  Republican,  and  in  1873  suc- 
ceeded Nathaniel  Boyden  upon  the  Supreme  Court  bench,  where  he 
remained  until  1878. 


726  Xoirni  CaroliNx^  IIistokical  Commission. 

1.  His  facts  as  to  Watauga  Countv, 

lie  charges  that  a  barbarous  murder  was  committed 
updn  Austin  Coffee  by  the  ^'Home  Guards"  which  passed 
unnoticed — "no  steps  were  taken  to  prosecute  them." 

Answer.  A  homicide  is  believed  to  have  been  committed 
o!i  CotlVc,  but  it  is  untrue  that  "no  steps  were  taken  to 
prosecute  them".  The  grand  jury  made  a  presentment 
for  murder  against  all  the  parties  implicated,  and  it  being 
impossible  to  procure  the  witnesses  to  the  same  term  of 
the  Court,  they  are  summoned  to  the  Fall  Term  in  the 
regular  course  of  the  Court  and  the  parties  will  be  pros- 
ecuted as  all  other  cases  of  the  kind.  I  should  violate  all 
judicial  propriety  in  prejudging  the  case  by  declaring  be- 
fore trial,  that  it  was  a  ''murder  under  circumstances  of 
the  most  revolting  barbarity". 

Caldwell  County. 

1.  It  is  charges  by  the  report  of  Maj.  Walcott  that  Wil- 
liam Blalock  is  indicted  for  the  murder  of  John  Boyd, 
done  since  the  war.  The  report  declares  that  Blalock  had 
been  in  the  U.  S.  service,  that  he  carefully  examined  the 
case  and  "a  clearer  case  of  justifiable  homicide  could  not 
be  made  out",  yet  ''it  is  believed  that  an  unprejudiced 
trial  could  not  be  had,  etc". 

The  report  admits  that  the  homicide  was  since  the  war. 
does  not  allege  that  it  grew  out  of  the  discharge  of  any 
military  duty  or  order  on  the  part  of  Blalock.  So  it  is 
simply  an  indictment  against  a  citizen  for  killing  another 
citizen  of  the  State  in  time  of  peace.  Whether  it  is  a  case 
of  "clear  justifiable  homicide"  is  for  the  Courts  to  de- 
termine upon  sivorn  iedimony  and  the  laws  of  the  land. 

2.  David  Moore.  Indicted  for  stealing  'bacon.  The 
"report"  charges  that  he  was  a  Union  man  and  was  with 
U.  S.  soldiers  when  the  l>acon  was  taken  and  that  it  Avas 
probably  his  own  wliicli  had  Ijeru  taken  a  short  time  be- 
fore by  "rebels." 

Answer.  If  the  bacon  was  taken  by  U.  S.  soldiers  un- 
der orders  and  Moore  merely  present,  it  is  clearly  not  lar- 
'•fuy  or  any  f.fFenr-e  at  all,  and  if  any  such  evidence  is  pro- 


CoKRESPONDENCE    OF    Jo^q^ATHAX    WoRTII.  727 

diiced  on  trail,  the  case  will  certainly  uot  be  further  pros- 
ecuted. But  the  evidence  submitted  to  me  was  quite  the 
contrary  and  made  out  a  ease  of  larcency  or  forcible  tres- 
pass. 

David  Moore  never  complained  to  me  or  the  grand  jury. 
as  I  am  advised,  of  any  criminal  wrong ;  if  he  had,  the 
grievance  would  have  been  examined  in  due  course  of 
Law. 

3.  .V  man  named  Benso)h  and  two  others  are  indicted  in 
Watauga  for  highway  robbery  from  the  person  of  Mrs. 
Jonathan  Horton,  a  most  respectable  lady.  Col.  Carr  of 
the  "Commission",  reports  that  he  was  of  the  Union  army 
and  ordered  to  impress  horses,  and  thereunder  too  Mrs. 
Horton's. 

Answer.  The  evidence  before  me  was,  that  if  he  ever 
belonged  to  the  army  he  had  deserted,  and  the  robbery  was 
under  no  authority  but  for  his  own  private  gain  and  done 
under  circumstances  of  wanton  outrage  and  cruelty.  If 
on  trial  his  claim  of  authority,  etc.,  should  prove  true,  he 
will  be  acquitted. 

Burke  County.  ]\Iaj.  Walcott  reports  that  many  com- 
plaints were  made  to  me  as  Solicitor,  by  Union  people,  of 
wrongs  and  outrages,  but  that  no  steps  were  taken  to  re- 
dress them. 

Answer.  The  statement  is  not  true,  as  far  as  I  am  con- 
cerned. In  every  instance  where  complaint  was  made  to 
me  of  a  violation  of  the  criminal  law,  I  sent  a  bill  to  the 
grand  jury,  if  witnesses  were  at  hand,  and  if  not  at  hand, 
I  had  them  summoned  to  the  succeeding  Court.  Whether 
complainants  had  been  T'nion  ]ieople  or  not,  I  never  in 
a  single  instance,  enquired.  The  only  enquiry  with  me 
was,  had  the  parties  violated  the  law.  I  am  not  a]qn-ised 
that  the  grand  jury  acted  differently,  tlio'  upon  that,  I 
have  no  knowledge. 

Maj.  Walcott  and  Col.  Carr  reported  that  in  the  Su- 
perior Court  of  Caldwell,  there  were  180  true  hilts  and 
ir;,")  were  against  Union  men!  !     Surelv  these  gentlemen 


728  XoKTii  Carolina  Historical  Commissio.n. 

are  iiiisrakcii.  /  L-iioir  ihcy  are!  The  records  of  the  Court 
will  t^liow  that  I  sent  le.'is  than  J/O  bills  and  some  of  these 
were  ignored.  Whether  they  were  against  Union  or  dis- 
imiitn  men,  I  am  not  informed;  all  I  know  is  that  they 
were  sent  against  alleged  violators  of  the  laws. 

In  some  counties,  Burke  for  instance,  bills  were  ignored 
by  the  grand  jury,  which  the  evidence  before  me,  I 
thought,  required  the  jury  to  find  "true  bills'',  but  the 
jury  were  the  judges  of  the  credibilty  of  the  testimony 
and  T  presuine  they  were  governed  by  that.  I  do  not 
think  any  bill  was  ignored  where  the  credibility  of  the 
witness  was  beyond  question.  Whether  the  ignored  bills 
were  against  Union  citizens  or  not,  I  am  not  informed. 

It  may  be  proper  to  state  that  an  ordinance  of  our 
Convention  saves  from  criminal  prosecution  all  citizens 
who  were  in  the  Civil  or  Military  service  of  the  State  or 
Confederate  States  for  any  act  done  in  the  proper  dis- 
charge of  the  duties  imposed  on  them  by  any  authority 
])ur])()rting  to  be  a  law  of  the  State  or  Confederate  Gov- 
ernment, but  not  from  indictment  on  account  of  any  im- 
proper or  illegal  execution  of  the  law  imposing  such  du- 
ties.    See  Ord.  ratified  18  Oct.  1865. 

I  have  strictly  obeyed  this  law  and  have  indicted  no 
one  who  has  acted  properly  in  discharge  of  duties  thus 
imposed.  At  the  same  time  and  in  justice  to  the  other 
side  I  have  not  knowingly  indicted  any  one  who  acted  in 
the  ])roper  discharge  of  any  civil  or  military  authority 
conferred  upon  him  by  the  laws  of  the  U.  S.  If  any  of 
the  latter  class  stand  indicted  (I  think  there  are  none)  it 
is  by  mistake  and  it  thus  appearing  on  irial,  they  will  be 
promptly  acquitted. 

So  soon  after  the  termination  of  the  war,  it  is  natural 
thiit  there  shonld  Ije  some  bitterness  of  feeling  and  under 
such  infiuences,  that  there  should  be  occasional  acts  of 
wrong  and  injustice  in  making  inrlietments  and  present- 
ments. But  when  such  cases  come  before  the  Judges  and 
Juries  of  the  Country,  I  am  convinced  that  not  a  solitary 


CoKKESPOXDEXCE    OF    Jo2^ATHAN    WoRTII.  729 

instance  has  occurred  where  parties  have  been  convicted, 
even  from  the  '^standpoint"  of  the  "Military  Commis- 
sion". I  speak  from  my  own  district.  The  further 
charge  that  Union  men  cannot  obtain  justice  I  know  to 
be  untrue.  I  have  brot.  suit  in  many  instances  in  Mc- 
Dowell and  Watauga,  for  Union  men,  for  wrongs  suffered 
by  them  as  much,  and  in  every  instance  have  obtained 
complete  redress,  w^here  cases  have  been  acted  upon.  I 
am  convinced  that  such  will  continue  to  be  the  case.  So 
it  has  been  in  all  indictments  tried  for  criminal  offences 
against  them.  If  they  suffer  wrong  (which  I  cannot  say 
they  do)  it  is  confined  to  these  preliminiary  steps,  or  ac- 
cusations before  grand  juries.  Such  cases  are  never  suc- 
cessfully prosecuted  before  the  Judges  and  learned  officers 
of  the  law. 

I  do  not  believe  that  there  is  much  bitterness  of  feel- 
ing among  the  people,  except  in  a  few  localities  in  Wa- 
tauga, Caldwell,  Burke  and  Polk,  and  if  the  laivs  of  tlie 
State  are  left  to  the  impartial  administration  of  its  own 
officers,  I  believe  that  discontent  will  soon  subside  in  those 
localities.  But  if  the  people  are  taught  to  believe  that 
they  cannot  obtain  justice  in  their  own  courts  and  by 
their  own  laws,  and  that  they  can  obtain  their  rights  and 
their  claims  only  before  strange  arbitrary  tribunals  un- 
known to  our  laws  the  danger  and  mischief  that  will  re- 
sult, can  hardly  be  over  estimated. 

In  regard  to  the  number  of  bill  of  indictments  in  Cald- 
w^ell  County,  I  have  said  that  I  sent  less  than  40.  It  is 
probable  that  the  error  of  the  Military  Commissioners  in 
part,  were  from  confounding  the  number  of  bills,  with  the 
number  of  men  in  the  bills.  A  greater  number  of  persons 
than  40  are  probably  indicted,  as  many  are  for  riots,  forci- 
ble trespass,  etc.,  and  the  same  individuals  are  often  in 
several  bills.  It  is  pi'obable  that  many  are  against  Union 
men,  some  may  be  malicious,  some  false.  These  things 
occur  in  all  periods  of  our  legal  history,  and  this,  if  true, 
is  not  an  isolated  or  exceptional  case.     But  these  accusa- 


730  XoKTir  Carolina  Historical  Commission. 

tions  by  ex  parte  complaint,  are  not  to  bo  confused  witb 
trial  and  conviction  before  the  appointed  tribunals,  when 
the  accused  and  accuser  are  confronted  by  their  witnesses 
and  counsel.  That  any  wrongful  convictions  have  been 
made,  is,  1  believe,  not  alleged. 


From  B.  S.  Hedrich. 
{^Fragment  of  letfer.'] 


Aug  3d  1866. 


chararterof  the     the  wilful  and  swoni  fidelity  intending  to  violate  their  oath 

opjiositlon.  _  .        " 

l)y  cherishing  the  rebellion. 

It  has  been  the  desire  of  President  Johnson  to  secure 
union  and  harmony  between  the  people  in  each  State  and 
b(  twe^'U  those  of  all  the  States,  by  as  far  as  possible  bury- 
ing the  past.  With  this  design  he  has  been  liberal  in 
granting  pardons  to  those  who  acknowledged  their  faults 
and  swore  fidelity  to  the  Govt.  But  the  way  matters  are 
going  in  the  South,  all  the  peaceful  efforts  of  the  President 
are  being  l)!'ouglit  to  naught.  The  very  men  who  have  so 
solenndy  sworn  allegiance  are  ever  seeking  opportunity  to 
insult  the  Union  men,  and  falsify  their  own  oaths  by  rebel 
demonstrations.  If  only  the  men  who  do  these  things  were 
involved,  I  would  not  complain.  But  the  result  will  be 
to  keep  the  South  in  a  perpetual  state  of  War  against  the 
Govt.  The  demonstration  at  Warren  Springs  is  a  rebel 
celebration  designed  to  honor  rebels  because  they  were 
rebels  to  honor  Lee  for  acts  which  he  himself  has  acknowl- 
edged with  an  oath  were  wrong,  and  for  which  he  has 
sought  pardon.  If  he  had  done  no  wrong  he  would  have 
had  nothing  to  ask  pardon  for. 

It  seems  to  me  that  the  editorial  management  of  the 
Sentinel  must  be  a  perfect  babel.  It  is  a  perfect  mixture 
of  rebel,  incendiary,  I'nion,  loyal,  and  every  other  sort  of 
sentiment  known  among  men.  But  for  the  Sentinel,  the 
knaves  and  charlatans  of  the  Standard  and  kindred  sheets 
would  die  out  for  lack  of  food. 


Correspondence  of  Jonathan  Woutii.  731 

From  L.  L.  Clements  and  J.  Peace. 

Hamilton,  Martin  Co.,  !N.  C.  August  Gtli  ISOO. 
Being  frequently  asked  the  question  if  negroes  were  al- 
lowed to  carry  firearms  (a  very  common  practice  in  this 
community)  and  iKit  knowing  of  any  Law  to  the  contrary 
I  have  thought  I  would  refer  to  you  for  information. 
Knowing  if  I  reed,  my  instructions  from  Head  Quarters 
I  should  he  right,  in  our  little  county  I  should  not  he  at 
all  surprised  if  there  were  200  negroes  with  arms  which 
the  Free  l^egroes  before  the  war  would  not  have  been  al- 
lowed to  carry.  Your  early  answer  to  this  obliges  my 
neighbors  and  your  obedient  servant. 


To  B.  8.  Ileclrich. 

Kaleigh  Aug  6  1866. 
The  fact  you  state  that  the  jSTorth  wnll  reeard  as  evi- Desire  to  avoid 

"  _  ^  anything  tending 

deuce  of  rebellious  feeling  here,  the  proposed  demonstra-  to  Biienate  the 

"  '  X       jr  sections. 

tion  in  Warren  on  the  occasion  of  erecting  a  monument 
over  the  grave  of  Genl.  [Lee's]  daughter,  is  decisive  of 
my  action.  I  desire  to  avoid  participation  in  any  proceed- 
ing of  mere  feeling,  which  is  likely  to  receive,  with  or 
without,  reason,  a  construction  tending  to  keep  up  aliena- 
tion between  the  sections.  I  had  not  su})posed  that  demon- 
strations of  respect  for  Genl  Lee,  furnished  any  evidence 
of  disloyalty  to  the  U.  S.  That  nearly  all  the  people  of 
the  South  respect  Genl  Lee  for  his  personal  virtues  and 
admire  him  as  a  great  military  man,  it  woTild  be  hypocrisy 
to  deny: — and  they  do  not  regard  the  cherishing  of  these 
feelings  as  incompatible  with  their  oath  of  allegiance  to 
the  U.  S.- — I  go  not  into  the  discussion  of  this  question 
whether  it  is  reasonable  to  ex2:»ect  that  the  South  is  bound 
to  regard  its  military  leaders  in  the  great  rebellion  as  fel- 
ons and  treat  them   accordingly : — Certainly   many  good 


732  XoRTH  Carolixa  Historical  Commission. 

iiK'ii,  as  ardently  desirous  as  you  or  I  to  restore  the  Union 
on  the  basis  of  mutual  respect  and  cordiality,  do  not  re- 
gard Genl  Lee  as  a  traitor  in  the  odious  sense  of  this 
term — They  think  they  may  cherish  respect — even  affec- 
tion for  him — with  entire  compatibility  with  the  most 
steadfast  adhesion  to  the  Union. 

I  deem  it  my  duty,  however,  in  a  matter  of  this  sort,  to 
respect  !N^orthern  sentiment,  whether  sentiment  be  reason- 
able or  unreasonable,  and  upon  your  representation  I  deem 
it  improper  for  me  to  participate  in  the  proposed  celebra- 
tion which,  independent  of  this,  I  could  not  attend,  on  ac- 
count of  the  pressure  of  my  official  duties. — 

I  sent  to  Thos.  J.  Wilson,  of  Forsythe  the  copy  of  the 
petition  you  sent  me.  I  inclose  a  copy  of  his  answer.  The 
petition  has  not  been  referred  to  me  by  the  President. 

Wasiiingtox,  D.  C. 


To  T).  F.  Caldwell 

Raleigh  Aug.  6  1866. 
Reasjnsfor  You  are  mistaken  in  some  of  vour  facts.     Lassiter  was 

upjioiiitment  of  "- 

Directors.  a])i)oint(d  bv  uic — Mordecai  was  not. — Dick  was  not  over- 

looked on  account  his  having  voted  for  Hoi  den.  I  have 
the  kindest  regard  for  him.  His  name  did  not  appear  on 
the  books  as  owning  any  stock — J.  A.  Gilmer  had  labored 
more  than  any  body  else  to  start  the  road.  I  never  heard 
that  he  felt,  much  less  exhibited  hostility  to  you.  He  is 
the  opposite  of  a  vindictive  man.  You  mention  my  omis- 
sion to  re-appoint  King.  In  public  speeches  last  Fall  he 
denounced  me  as  a  Secessionist.  My  friends  would  de- 
nounce me  if  I  had  appointed  a  man  who  thus  slandered 
me.  I  recommended  him  as  Collector  of  the  port  of  ]!^ew- 
bern  and  my  recommendation  was  effective.  You  say  I 
have  made  "a  clean  sweep  of  all  these  men  in  office."  I 
am  persuaded  you  did  not  remember  that  I  re-appointed 
Lassiter,  Ramsey  and  Boyden,  the  only  appointees  of  Mr. 


COKRESPONDENCE    OF    JONATHAN    WoRTH.  733 

Holden  who  held  stock  and  were  otherwise  tit  iiien. — I 
have  not  time  to  tell  yon  why  Thomas  was  nnfit.  I  am 
snre  I  can  satisfy  you  he  was  nnfit — If  I  know  myself, 
you  are  mistaken  as  to  entertaining  unkind  feelings  to  just 
men  who  preferred  Holden  to  Vance  or  to  me.  I  think 
my  actions  do  not  warrant  the  conclusion — and  I  know 
nothing  to  be  more  unwarranted  than  the  idea  that  I  ever 
felt  a  moment's  alienation  towards  you. 

Gkeensboko. 


From  Council  ^yooten^ 

i!^ew^berx,  August  Gth  1866. 
I  have  learned  since  my  arrival  at  this  place  that  there  Appointment  of 

.         .  '■  Collector  at  Xew 

appears  to  be  unfair  dealing  in  regard  to  the  office  of  col-  ^<?rn. 
lector  of  customs  at  this  Port.  I  see  it  stated  in  the  papers 
that  R.  W.  King  Esqr  of  Lenoir  County  had  been  ap- 
pointed to  that  office  and  to  my  surprise  I  have  learned 
since  my  arrival  that  a  petition  is  being  circulated  to  have 
a  Mr.  McleRoy  the  present  Deputy  Collector  appointed  to 
that  office.  I  am  still  more  surprised  since  Mr.  King  has 
showm  me  a  telegram  from  Washington  City  stating  that 
Mr.  Fuller  the  present  Collector  is  to  be  retained.  That 
some  unfair  means  is  being  used  ^gainst  Mr.  King  to  pre- 
vent his  receiving  the  appointment  I  have  advised  Mr. 
King  to  apply  to  you  to  use  your  influence  wdth  the  Presi- 
dent that  he  may  have  justice  done  him  in  procuring  the 
appointment.  I  take  great  pleasure  in  writing  to  you  and 
to  urge  upon  you  to  use  all  your  influence  to  procure  the 
appointment  for  Mr.  King,  as  I  have  known  him  from  a 
child  up  and  I  knoAv  him  to  be  Avell  qualified  to  fill  the 
office  as  he  is  honest  and  industrious  and  his  integrity  can- 
not be  doubted  by  those  that  is  acquainted  with  him.   And 


'  Council  Wooten,  of  Lenoir  county,  was  a  great  friend  of  Jonathan 
Worth.  He  had  frequently  been  a  member  of  the  Legislature  before 
1860. 


lo- 


North  Carolixa  Historical  Commissioin". 

as  to  his  Loyalty  I  know  that  he  was  always  opposed  to 
the  war  aiirl  was  a  strong  Union  man  thronghont  the  whole 
war  as  him  and  myself  have  had  several  bitter  contest 
during  the  war  he  opposing  the  war  myself  advocating  of 
it  and  the  right  of  secession. 

I  have  merely  written  you  this  letter  as  an  act  of  Jus- 
tice to  Mr.  King  and  I  hope  that  yon  will  see  that  Justice 
mav  be  done  him. 


To  Thomas  C.  Fuller. 

Raleigh  Aug.  7th  IS 66. 

Genl.  Robinson  verbally  assures  me,  that  he  will  express 
his  disapproval  and  restore  the  mare  to  the  possession  of 
the  law,  if  the  accounts  are  not  varied  by  a  report  from 
Capt.  Hodge.  He  deems  it  proper  to  give  Capt.  Hodge  an 
opportunity  to  be  heard  before  he  issues  his  orders. 

He  avers  that  his  officers  had  taken  jurisdiction  of  this 
case  before  the  issuing  of  his  order  recognizing  the  juris- 
diction of  our  Courts  and  upon  the  proof  made,  approves 
Capt.  Hodge's  decision. 

He  says  he  is  at  much  loss  as  I  am  as  to  the  bill  of  costs 
and  will  require  an  explanation. 

I  have  brought  the  subject  before  him  in  official  form 
and  in  due  season  will  have  an  official  answer — but  deemed 
it  best  to  have  a  personal  conference.  In  this  way  col- 
lisions can  sometimes  be  avoided,  without  compromising 
my  personal  or  official  dignity. 


To  II.  Piermonf. 


Raleigh  Aug.  7  1866 


men""'  ^^'f""'"''         V(»urs  of  the  Srd  inst.  is  received. 


I  was  requested  in  June  last,  by  letter  from  the  Assist 
Sec.  of  the  Treasury  to  nominate  a    suitable    person    as 


CORRESPOXDEXCE    OF    JONATHAN    WoRTH.  735 

"■'assessor  of  the  1st  Dist.  of  No.  Car.  in  place  of  R.  Pier- 
mont."  The  letter  is  before  me.  I  had  not  heard  nor  have 
I  yet  heard  any  thing  to  yonr  prejndice  cither  as  an  offi- 
cer or  individnal — and  did  not  know  whether  yon  had  re- 
signed and  did  not  know  and  had  not  heard  how  the  va- 
cancy had  occurred  or  was  expected  to  occur.  I  proceeded 
to  make  the  inquiries  necessary  to  enable  me  to  comply 
with  the  request,  and  as  the  result  of  such  inquiry  rec- 
ommended Jas.  R.  Parker,  of  Perquimmons,  whose  ap- 
pointment, I  think,  has  been  confirmed  by  the  Senate. 

The  first  letter  reed  by  me  from  the  Assistant  Sec.  of 
the  Treasury  requested  me  to  nominate  an  Assessor  for 
the  2nd  District.  I  will  inclose  copy  of  the  letter  on 
which  I  acted. 

You  will  perceive  that  you  have  no  cause  to  comjdain 
of  me.  I  have  done  nothing  in  the  slightest  degree  to 
cause  your  removal  and  have  no  information  in  relation 
to  the  subject  not  herein  set  forth. 

Elizabeth  City. 


To  P.  C.  Hohnes. 

Raleigh,  Aug.  8  1S66. 
Yours  of  the  2ord  inst.    was  reed    in    due  season.     It  Regarding  the 

return  of  horses. 

would  have  been  more  promptly  answered  but  for  the  ex- 
treme pressure  of  still  graver  duties. 

I  interposed  last  spring  and  got  from  Genl.  Ruger  a 
modification  of  the  order  from  Washington  in  relation  to 
the  horse  question. 

Pirst.  He  ordered  that  no  citizen  should  l>e  employed  in 
collecting  horses.  This  saved  our  people  from  the  prying 
search  of  mean  neighbors. 

Second.  He  ordered  that  no  more  horses  branded  C.  S. 
should  be  taken  after  a  date,  now  long  past,  without  special 
orders  from  head  quarters  here.  This  saved  to  our  people 
a  vast  number  of  horses  and  mules. 


736  XoRTH  Carolina  Historical  Commission. 

Thin  I.  lie  ordered  tliat  no  inibranded  horses  should 
thereafter  be  seized.  This  put  a  stop  to  the  whole  busi- 
ness. The  unbranded  horses  the  captors  could  sell  and 
l)ocket  the  proceeds.  oSTo  body  would  buy  the  unbranded. 
As  soon  as  the  chance  to  steal  passed  away,  they  did  not 
care  to  he  troubled  and  generally  quit  taking  any. 

As  I  understand  your  letter  they  are  only  collecting  in 
yr  County  the  horses  and  mules  branded  U.  S.  If  so, 
I  can  give  no  relief,  if  the  persons  are  acting  by  authority. 
The  orders  by  Genl  Ruger,  I  caused  to  be  published.  They 
are  still  in  force.  If  they  are  being  disregarded  let  me 
know  by  whom  they  are  disregarded  and  I  will  appeal  to 
the  military  commandant  to  stop  it. 

I  am  gratified  to  learn  from  your  letter  that  my  efforts 
to  serve  the  State  meet  the  approval  of  the  people  of  Samp- 
son. My  late  competitor  is  much  less  potent  for  mischief 
than  he  was  a  year  ago.  He  is  still  doing  us  vast  mischief 
abroad,  and  some  at  home  by  representing  our  distressed 
people  as  still  rebellious — and  our  Courts  as  refusing  jus- 
tice to  Union  men: — Genl  Grant's  order  of  July  1 — and 
many  of  the  acts  of  G<^nl  Sickles  and  Genl  Eobinson  till 
me  with  apprehension. 

Clinton. 


Fro7n  D.  F.  Caldwell. 

Greensboro,  ^N".  C.  August  9  1866. 
Outlining  his  On  my  return  from  Randolph  Court  I  found  your  let- 

rea.sons  for  di.sstUis-  ■'■  "^ 

faction.  ter  of  the  6  inst.,  which  requires  a  few  words  of  reply  on 

my  part.  You  constantly  affirm  that  it  was  not  your  pur- 
pose to  treat  me  with  indifference  or  disrespect  and  so  I 
must  conceed  notwithstanding  all  appearence  and  taunts 
of  my  political  enemies.  You  also  avow  that  you  have  ever 
treated  with  due  regard  and  respect,  such  persons,  as  were 
known  and  hated  by  the  Secessionists  for  their  desire  to 
do  something,  if  possible  to  terminate  the  law  war,  in  the 


COKKESPONDENCE    OF    JONATHAN    WoKTII,  737 

way  of  Negotiations;.  \\'ell  1  will  not  call  in  (inosticm  your 
word  But  this  I  will  say.  If  there  be  one  of  yoni'  old  ])n- 
litical  friends,  who  has  taken  any  part  in  politics,  has  re- 
ceived any  countenance  or  respect  in  this  county,  or  any 
other  that  I  know  of,  except  Coffin  I  have  not  been  able 
to  call  him  to  mind — I  mean  your  friends  during-  the 
war — You  have  lavished  your  favors  upon  Vance  men  and 
anti-Worth  men — during  the  war  Boyden,  Ramsey  and 
I  believe  Coffin  and  Kerr  were  all  Vance  to  the  last.  In 
making  these  remarks  I  do  not  wish  to  be  understood  as 
advocating  the  claims  of  Ilolden  men  per  see.  I  am  not — 
for  there  were  many  that  supported  him  as  a  necessity  that 
were  true  and  honest  men  and  cither  gave  you  a  direct  or 
insidental  suport  and  deserved  better  treatment  than  they 
have  received.  I  do  not  alude  to  offices  or  salaries,  etc.  I 
mean  respectful  consideration  and  some  little  courtesy  and 
kindness  from  you  and  your  appointees.  You  seem  to 
think  that  Dr.  Ramsey,  iST.  Boyden  Mr.  Coffin  were  the 
only  men  in  Rowan  that  are  embraced  in  the  true  con- 
servative rank.  In  this  you  are  mistaken.  By  the  by  the 
County  of  Rowan,  as  well  as  that  of  Orange,  seems  to  be 
peculiarly  fortunate  in  securing  appointments  from  all 
quarters.  Ramsey,  Boyden  I).  A.  Davis,  Coffin,  Murdoch 
Finley  and  I  know  not  how  many  more.  While  Orange 
has  Berry  (A  stockholder  and  original  friend  of  the  work 
(S:c.  And  my  friend  Turner  (an  original  friend  and 
stockholder).  Webb — an  original  friend  and  stockholder 
and  P.  B.  Ruffin  another  original  friend  and  stockholder 
and  I  know  not  how  many  more  of  the  same  sort.  I  do 
not  care  to  examine  the  list  in  Guilford.  I  will  renuirk 
only  that  unless  Mr.  Gilmer  has  recently  purchased  stock — 
he  holds  but  little  if  any  if  you  had  examined  the  books — 
do  Strange,  Turner,  ]\Ioore,  Berry — not  more  at  any  rate 
than  Dick — I  am  aware  that  you  appointed  Mr.  Lassiter 
Bnt  such  were  the  nature  of  the  other  appointments  as 
to  oust  him  and   Thomas    and  all  others    who  had    bcnm 

Vol.  2—6 


738  XoRTii  Carolina  Historical  Commission. 

appoiuted  not  because  they  had  been  Holden  men,  but  be- 
cause they  were  known  as  union  men.  That  is  the  point 
I  nuike.  1  soUcmnly  believe  as  I  know  it  to  be  the  case 
that  there  has  been  and  is  a  conspiracy  on  the  part  of  the 
secessionists  and  the  ultra  old  line  War  Whigs  to  brand  and 
stagniatize  in  every  way  possible,  all  such  men  as  sympa- 
thized and  acted  with  you  during  the  war  and  if  possible 
degrade  them  for  the  part  they  took  in  endeavoring  to 
bring  the  late  unfortunate  war  to  an  amicable  close.  And 
here  is  my  com})laint  and  I  assert  that  it  is  well  founded. 
^'<iu  have  given  them  no  aid,  countenance,  encouragement 
or  suport  in  any  way  whatever  in  this  county  at  least.  On 
the  other  hand  every  thing  has  been  done  and  is  doing  that 
could  or  can  be  done  to  disgrace  us  in  the  estimation  of 
our  constituents.  And  candor  compells  me  to  say  I  have 
heard  similar  comj^laints  from  others.  As  for  myself  per- 
mit me  this  one  time  to  speak  freely — I  never  asked  any 
one  for  an  appointment — nor  do  I  ever  expect  to — nor  did 
or  do  I  deserve  any  But  ^vhen  I  call  to  my  mind  whose 
sons  it  was  that  insulted  and  assaulted  me — and  how  I 
have  been  denounced  by  certain  men.  And  how  they  and 
I  have  differed  as  to  your  personal  character,  etc.,  I  can 
but  feel  contempt  for  some  of  these  and  great  surprise  at 
the  course  of  others.  Every  effort  has  been  made  to  hold 
me  and  others  out  as  radicals  and  to  induce  the  world  to 
believe  that  certain  persons  in  this  and  other  latitudes  are 
the  most  conservative  in  the  State.  Whereas  it  is  well 
known  that  there  are  not  any  more  ultra  haters  in  the 
State.  But  my  dear  Sir  I  hope  to  he  able  to  survive  all 
the  efforts  of  my  personal  and  political  enemies  to  consign 
me  and  my  personal  and  political  friends  to  Oblivion.  I 
have  said  what  I  have  simply  in  reply  to  your  letters.  I 
assure  you  that  I  have  no  malice — though  I  have,  as  I 
«l«idcr  been  most  shamefully  treated  by  some  "But  let 
tke  hungry  gray  hounds  snarl  aod  snap"  for  their  dirty 
gntb,  80  their  teeth  touch  not".  One  other  matter  You 
say  that  if  you  have  acted  as  I  have  charged  you  do  not 


Correspondence  of  Jonathan  Worth.  739 

deserve  auy  siiport — Well  that  may  be  so  pr(j\'i(ie(l  the 
times  had  not  become  so  wonderfully  out  of  joint.  I  freely 
admit  that  ingratitude  is  a  great  sin — but  it  has  been  so 
fashionable  of  late  for  politicians  to  do  most  anything  that 
may  be  expediant  that  I  shall  not  hold  you  to  a  strict  ac- 
count, however  justly  this  might  be  done  Perhaps  the  only 
reason  that  I  have  for  complaint  is  this  that  I  expected 
Jonathan  Worth  to  act  the  man  and  patriot  a  little  more 
than  the  former,  mousing  trucklers  who  had  filled  the  Ex- 
ecutive chair  of  this  State  had  done — and  he  has  not  come 
up  to  the  mark  exactly.  I  am  free  to  admit  that  you  have 
done  about  as  well  as  your  predecessors  in  making  your  ap- 
pointments except  in  one  respect.  I  will  go  further  and 
say  probably  you  have  done  as  well  as  any  one  yet  here- 
after, hence  I  declared  my  purpose  unless  some  cause  for 
change  is  given,  to  suport  you  at  the  next  election  but 
surely  if  you  and  your  particular  friends  do  not  deserve  it 
I  will  in  self  respect  refrain  from  bestowing  it  upon  you. 
This  was  my  purpose  before  you  wrote  to  me  informing 
me  of  Genl.  Gilmer's  statement  of  coolness  to  you,  etc. 
Your  relations  are  all  well  in  Ashboro  and  the  Messrs. 
Jackson  and  Robins  all  kept  busy.  I  left  Genl.  Leach 
lying  dangerously  ill.  He  had  a  very  severe  congestive 
chill  on  Monday  night  and  Dr.  Worth  said  if  he  had  an- 
other such  he  would  die,  but  he  succeeded  in  keeping  it  off 
and  'tis  now  hoped  he  will  survive. 


From  J.  J.  Jacl'son. 

AsHEBORo  August  9th  1866. 
I  write  vou  •  a  line  to  eive  you  some  account  of  thina-s  Reorganization  of 

'  '  '■  ^     the  Red  Strings. 

here.  I.  I  saw  Andrew  Bunis  on  Monday  morning.  You 
are  well  acquainted  with  his  character.  He  seemed  to  be 
very  willing  to  talk.  Said  the  "Red  String"  association 
was  undoubtedly  reorganized — that  a  short  time  since  he 


740  XoRTii  Carolina  Historical  Commis.siok. 

lijid  a  short  talk  with  some  man  fonnerly  a  justice  of  the 
jH'aet' — that  this  man  stated  to  him  that  Holden  had  been 
((ver  to  Washington  City  and  returned  and  had  sent  them 
II])  certain  resolntions,  etc.,  etc.,  that  no  perscni  eonhl  ex- 
pose them — new  signs,  etc.,  etc. — further  that  Lindsay 
Cox  had  told  him  a  short  time  before  the  election  that  he. 
Cox,  was  going  to  a  large  meeting  of  the  order  to  be  held 
that  morning  at  New  Salem,  (tc,  etc.  It  is  a  significant 
fact  that  Xew  Salem  went  for  the  Constitution  by  a  vote 
of  140  or  150  to  1. 

James  Page  says  they  are  nndonbtcdly  reorganized  and 
organizing  in  his  section  and  that  he  hears  the  objects  of 
the  order  are  to  elect  Union  men  to  office  and  for  nnitnal 
])rotection.  If  any  of  their  number  are  indicted  they  will 
try  and  get  on  the  jnry,  b;Mng  sworn  to  acquit — or  they 
will  be  witnesses  for  him  aiid  in  case  of  necessity  will  se- 
cure a  Dft  of  their  order  by  force.  He  says  that  they  are 
very  strong  in  Montgomery  and  that  it  is  a  significant  fact 
that  the  jail  of  that  county  has  secretly  been  twice  broken. 
He  said  moreover  that  it  was  understood  that  Capt.  Wil- 
liam Presly  against  whom  I  think  certain  indicts  are 
pending  in  Montgomery  (^ounty  for  stealing  cotton,  was 
anxious  to  be  admitted  into  the  order,  as  a  means  of  pro- 
tection— that  he  accordingly  applied  for  admission — that 
the  Lodge  admitted  him  and  passed  a  resolution  notifying 
him  on  that  he  should  be  notified  to  appear  at  a  certain 
time  and  place — that  in  the  mean  time  Presly  found  out 
that  if  he  joined  them,  he  would  have  to  swear  not  to 
prosecute  certain  meinliers  who  had  heretofore  robbed  him 
and  that  he  accordingly  declined  joining  them,  etc.  etc. 
Xoah  Smatherman  says  there  is  no  doubt  of  there  being 
such  an  organization  in  this  section. 

Knowing  that  Lewis  Parks  was  a  leaky  vessel  I  asked 
him  into  my  room  and  had  a  conversation  with  him. 
Page  had  told  me  that  he  was  a  member  of  the  order. 
You  know  the  character  of  Lewis,   etc.     He  was  quite 


I 


Correspondence  of  Jonathan  Worth.  741 

coniiiiuiiicative.  I  am  satisfied  tliat  there  is  a  great  deal 
of  truth   in   his   statement. 

He  states  that  there  were  sneli  organizations — that  he 
was  an  officer  in  one  of  their  lodges — that  there  were  a 
nnmber  in  his  section — that  they  already  numbered  200 
men — that  there  was  a  regular  organization — however 
distinct  Lodges — then  a  County  lodge,  having  the  control 
of  all  the  lodges  in  the  County,  then  a  general  State  Lodge 
havino-  the  control  of  all  the  lodges  in  the  counties.  Lie 
said  they  had  their  regular  officers — each  lodge  a  Presi- 
dent, Treasurer,  Secretary,  and  that  they  had  regular  com- 
munications Avith  all  the  other  lodges,  etc.,  in  the  county, 
or  rather  orders  would  come  down  from  the  County 
Lodges  to  the  various  District  Lodges.  He  said  that  the 
Lodges  even  bad  their  La^vyers  picked  out.  He  said  Sel- 
lon  was  a  member — that  Sheriff  Rush  \A'as  a  member,  and 
I  grieve  to  say  it,  he  mentioned  Dich  as  being  a  mend:»er. 
I  asked  him  what  was  the  object  of  the  Society.  He  said 
that  the  great  object  w'as  to  secure  the  election  of  Union 
Men  to  Office.  They  consider  all  as  war  men  who  sus- 
tained Vance  for  Governor.  He  states  moreover  that  the 
members  could  not  prosecute  each  other^ — but  were  bound 
to  do  all  they  could  for  mutual  protection,  and  that  if 
any  of  them  were  in  difficulties  or  their  families  in  dis- 
tress they  were  bound  to  aid  them  or  see  them  out.  I  told 
him  I  had  heard  it  said,  that  they  were  bound  to  swear 
for  each  other,  and  try  and  get  on  the  juries  of  the  county 
so  as  to  secure  each  other  from  punishment,  and  to  secure 
a  member  from  custody,  if  need,  by  force.  This  he  de- 
nied— Said  there  was  nothing  of  it,  etc. 

I  afterwards  mentioned  to  DicJr  that  I  heard  a  certain 
man  who  said  ]ie  was  a  memlxr  of  this  order,  say  that  he 
Dick,  was  also  a  member — that  I  mentioned  it  in  justice 
— he  laughed  and  said  "you  mean  your  question  to  1)0  in 
the  nature  of  a  'Bill  of  Discovery',"  "ah",  said  he,  "you 
will  hear  it  thunder  next  fall",  "you  secessionists  and  lat- 
ter dav  war  men".     Scott  told  me  he  had  heard  Dick  sav 


742  2SOKTlI    CaKOLIXA    HiSTOKlCAL    COMMISSION. 

when  asked  who  would  be  j'oiir  opponent  "Well  we  are 
waiting,  etc.,  we  will  have  out  a  man,  etc.  He  says  it 
will  be  Cox  or  Logan.  By  the  by,  Frank  Caldwell  is  here 
this  week  and  complains  very  grievously  of  your  Railroad 
appointments.  lie  said  he  was  not  against  you,  etc.,  but 
he  thought  you  Avere  completely  ignoring  all  the  Union 
men — that  you  ought  not  to  consider  it  a  crime  for  a  man 
to  have  been  an  officer  under  Holden  for  that  you  were 
one,  etc.  and  young  Gilmer  told  me  he  had  secret  appren- 
hensions  that  he  was  going  over  to  the  Radicals,  etc.,  etc. 

The  constitution  has  been  ratified  in  this  county  by  over 
100  majority  as  I  hear — and  I  think  if  the  vote  M^as  taken 
today  the  majority  would  be  large. 

Jesse  Walker,  Dot  Jordan,  Joel  Ashwoith  and  Blair 
and  George  Kinly  are  candidates  for  the  legislature  and 
Wren  is  spoken  of.     Xo  doubt  there  will  be  others. 

I  had  a  conversation  with  Sheriff  Rush.  I  told  him  I 
Avas  going  to  write  to  you.  He  said  I  might  say  to  you 
that  you  Avould  carry  the  county  by  a  large  majority 
against  any  body  but  Settle  or  Dick — that  you  would 
carry  the  county  by  a  considerable  majority  against  any 
body,  etc..  Said  Joel  Ashworth  was  for  you  and  Blair 
would  go  for  you  against  anybody  but  Settle  or  Dick. 
Fennel  Arnold  told  me  to  say  to  you,  he  was  for  you  and 
all  his  peoi)k'  and  all  in  that  section  were  for  you  but  these 
Eohhers.  Said  that  George  Kinly  whose  Post  Office  was 
Hoover  Hill,  was  the  great  man  among  them,  very  suscept- 
able  of  flattery,  etc.,  that  it  would  be  a  good  plan  for  you 
to  adress  him  a  letter  in  general  terms  (If  you  \vrite  don't 
.^av  anything  that  could  be  perverted.)  He,  Arnold,  said 
if  you  could  make  a  speech  some  time  during  the  fall  at 
Rush's  hill,  Xinevah  Rush,  I  think  he  said,  it  w-ould  do 
a  great  deal  of  good. 

I  omitted  to  say  to  yon  that  Parks  said  every  body  in 
his  section  were  for  you  for  Gov.  and  Sam  for  the  Legis- 
lature. This  is  nothing,  however.  Because,  if  the  District 
Lodges  are  controlled  by  the  hicjlier  lodges,  they     would 


Correspondence  of  Jonathan  Worth.  .  743 

have  no  choice.     I  am  still  unii-ilJiiKj  to  believe  that  Dick 
is  a  member  though  he  did  not  deny  it. 

Gen.    Leach    is   here — very    sick — his    recovery    at    this 
time,  Thursday  morning,  is  regarded  as  doubtful. 


From  B.  S.   lied  rich. 
Washington,  D.  C.  Aiujust  9,  1806, 
Yours   inclosing  co]\v   of  ktter  of   Thomas   J.   Wilson  contimied  iii-feei- 

11  .1^       mi'  f   -» r       ^T^-i  ing  in  the  State. 

has  been  received.  Ihe  statement  oi  Mr.  Wilson  agrees 
with  that  I  have  had  from  other  sources,  and  he  has  evi- 
dently endeavored  to  make  a  fair  statement.  There  must 
continue  to  be  irritation  and  ill  feeling,  in  many  neighbor- 
hoods growing  out  of  the  past  strife.  But  if  those  who 
control  public  sentiment  will  only  labor  to  allay  irritation, 
instead  of  inflaming  it,  there  will  be  peace  by  and  bye. 
I  hope  by  another  year  the  old  questions  of  secession  and 
anti-secession  will  give  way  to  new  issues.  But  just  now 
the  main  thing  is  secure  domestic  quiet,  and  give  the 
people  a  chance  to  labor  and  build  up  their  fortunes  a  lit- 
tle. Holden's  course  in  fomenting  dissentions  at  home, 
is  bad  enough.  But  his  continued  effort  to  misrepresent 
the  State  abroad  is  worse,  for  there  are  luit  too  many  to 
believe  him.  I  presume  it  will  be  known  in  a  few  days 
whether  there  is  to  be  a  Lieut.  Gov.  so  that  by  Sept.  1, 
the  opposition  elements  will  try  to  bring  forth  a  candidate. 
Iloldens'  plan  when  he  was  here  was  to  bring  out  several 
candidates — One  or  two  ^'War  men",  and  a  ''so-called 
L^nion"  man  or  Holdenite.  For  the  last  few  weeks  I  am 
unable  to  see  what  he  is  driving  at.  But  he  must  soon 
show  his  hand  and  then  it  will  be  time  to  un<l?rmine  his 
plots. 

The  pardons  of  Judge     Caldwell,     William     Boddie, 


'44  XolITlI     CaKoLI-XA    lllSTOKICAL    COMMISSION. 

Fniiiclu'r.iicr  ;iii(l  .Mc'Xei4v  were  signed  yesterday,  and  I 
h()])('  will  ](  ave  here  by  to-morrow's  mail.  I  saw  the  Pres- 
ident t< •-(!;. y,  Imt  was  not  able  to  have  much  coiivcrsatinn 
with  hiiii.  1  endeavored  to  have  him  take  np  the  matter 
oi'  i)ie  West  Point  a])])ointment,  but  he  said  he  could  not 
attend  to  it  now  and  was  afraid  he  would  imt  have  time 
before  the  20th.  I  will  try  and  see  some  of  the  officers 
of  the  War  Dept.  and  iind  out  what  will  be  done  in  regard 
to  all  the  Southern  appointments  for  West  Point. 

There  seems  to  be  a  snarl  in  regard  to  the  revenue  of- 
ficers for  the  1st  Dist.  Piermont  is  here  to  oppose  the 
appointment  of  Mr.  Parker,  on  the  ground  that  Parker's 
endorsers  are  all  rebels.  Piermont  is  particular  in  speci- 
fying all  the  ''disloyal"  acts  as  he  alleges  of  Col.  Ferre- 
Ijee,  and  represents  Ferrebee  as  the  person  who  wants 
Parker  ap])ointed.  Piermont  is  about  as  inefficient  an 
officer  as  can  be  found  any  where,  and  in  the  long  run  the 
pco])li*  will  suffer  by  his  inefficifucy. 


jI  0  L.  L.  (  hnneni^,  Esq. 

Rat.eigh,  Aug.  lHh  1S66. 
Law  as  to  the  pos-       Yours  of  the  fith  inst.  is  received.     I  find  that  Sec.  60 

session  of  arms  bv     ,,,  -ir~T->  r^     -i        •      • 

ufgr..es.  "    (  hap.  10 (   Ivev.  Code,  is  m  force  under  ours  laws,  except 

that  the  words  ''persons  of  color"  are  substituted  for  the 
Words  "free  negroes". 

According  to  tli:-  laws  of  this  State,  therefore,  it  is  a 
misdemeanor  for  any  free  negro  or  person  of  color  to 
wear  or  eai'ry  al)Out  his  person  or  keep  in  his  house  any 
shot  gniii,  musket,  rifle,  pistol,  sword,  dagger  or  bowie 
knife,  without  a  license  as  provided  in  this  section. 

If  this  ])rovisions  of  the  GO  Sec.  have  been  repealed  by 
any  law  of  this  State,  I  am  not  apprised  of  the  act  repeal- 
ing it.  Whether  any  of  the  acts  of  Congress,  (assuming 
them  to  be  constitutional)  operate  as  a  repeal  of  this  sec- 


Correspondence  of  Jonathan  "Worth.  74; 

tioii.  I  cannot  say.  ]\Iy  executive  duties  require  such  con- 
stant application  that  I  have  not  time  to  give  a  critical 
examination  to  all  the  acts,  State  and  Xational,  which 
have  sprung  from  our  new  (Constitution.  It  would  have 
been  better  if  you  had  consulted  the  Atto.  Genl.      I  will 

J    send  this  letter  to  him  and  ask  his  opinion  on  the  ques- 

i,    tion  submitted. 


Fro)Ji   Sioii  II.  Bogers. 

Raleigh,  August  IJfth  1866. 

Your  remarks  and  letter  to  me  of  11th  inst  Avere  re- 
ceived by  me  this  morning,  also  a  copy  of  the  letter  of 
L.  L.  Clements  of  date  August  Gth  186G.  In  answer  I 
beg  leave  to  say  to  you  that  you  will  find  by  reference  to 
the  orelinauces  of  the  late  Conventie^n,  that  Sec.  60,  Chap. 
107  of  Rev.  Code  is  repealed.    • 

In  reference  to  the  subject  matter  containeel  in  the  cemi- 
nnmication  of  L.  L.  Clements  Esq.,  I  respectfully  refer 
you  to  the  case  of  the  State  vs  Pluntly  ord  IrededFs  law 
418. 


To  J.  d/.  Whitchurst. 

Raleigh,  Aug.  17  1S6G. 

Yours  of  the  16th  ult.  has  just  reached  me. 

You  fail  to  state  the  name  of  the  necro  who  insulted  Action  of  Bureau 

olhcials. 

you — also  the  place  where  you  were  trieel  ami  the  name 
of  the  officer  who  fined  you  $50.  You  say  3'ou  were  ar- 
rested on  the  l-lth  and  tried  on  the  16th  July. 

On  the  13th  July,  upon  my  application  Genl  Robinson, 
the  Chief  of  the  Freedman's  Bureau  in  this  State,  issued 
his  orders  turning  over  to  the  civil  Courts  of  the  State, 
all  matters  civil  anel  criminal,  relating  to  freeelmen,  ex- 
cepting contracts  for  wages  witnessed  or  approved  by  of- 


746  XoRTii  Caroi.i.xa  IIistokical  Commissio>'. 

ficcrs  of  the  Bureau.  The  officer  therefore  tried  you 
contrary  to  orders.  If  they  will  grant  a  transfer  to  onr 
Courts  or  an  appeal  to  a  higher  branch  of  the  Bureau,  I 
presume  you  will  be  relieved.  If  they  decline  to  grant 
you  an  appeal  or  transfer  let  me  know  when  and  where 
the  trial  took  place  and  who  rendered  the  judgment,  and 
T  will  try  another  mode  for  your  relief.  I  do  not  gather 
from  your  letter  what  was  the  offence  with  which  you  were 
charged. 
Beaufort. 


To  D.  G.  Worth. 

Raleigh  Aug.  17/66. 

*  *  *  *  TT  *  * 

Roxana's  negroes  and  others  are  about  to  steal  her  out 
of  every  thing.  Young  S*am  was  convicted  and  whipped 
for  stealing  one  of  her  beef  cattle.  Bills  were  found 
against  Primus  and  Joshua,  his  accomplices.  They  were 
not  captured.  She  has  had  another  beef  stolen — and  many 
hogs — besides  many  thefts  of  less  consequence.  The  ten- 
ents  nu  the  Swamp  place,  I  learn,  have  made  a  fine  crop. 
At  hcnae  and  at  the  Bird  place,  which  was  rented  to  Chas. 
&  Harper,  not  more  thini  half  a  crop  will  be  made  owing 
to  bad  culture.  I  am  distressed  to  devise  the  plans  best 
for  the  management  of  her  affairs. 

We  have  heard  nothing  from  Mary  since  I  last  wrote 
you. 

I  have  had  the  residue  of  goods  sent  up  to  Sam  Jackson 
to  be  sold  for  me.  Corrinna  came  up  wath  me.  Dr.  Rob- 
erts will  come  in  a  few  days — I  want  to  get  him  settled 
somewhere  as  apothecary  with  as  little  delay  as  possible. — 

All  well — I  see  no  probability  of  oj^position  to  my  re- 
election. 


■  Correspondence  of  Jonathan  Worth.  747 

IF.  E.  Bagleij  to  IV.  ir.  Holdcn. 

Raleigh,  X.  C.  Aug.  ISth  1866. 

Gov.  W.  W.  Holden, 
Raleigh,  N.  C. 
Dear  Sir 
Your  resignation  as  a  Justice  of  the  Peace  of  AValvC 
County  directed  to  Governor  Worth,  is  herewith  returned, 
the  statute   (Section  36,  Chap.  02,  Rev.  Code)   requiring 
such  resignations  to  be  filed  with  the  County  Court  Clerk. 
Very  respectfully, 

Wm.  H.  Bagley 
Private  Secretary. 
[Enclosure. 1 

Raleigh,  Aug.  17th  1S06. 
His  Excellency  Gov.  Worth 

Sir: 
I  respectfully  ask  leave  through  you  to  resign  my  com- 
mission as  a  Justice  of  the  Peace  for  the  County  of  Wake. 
Very  respectfully, 

W.    W.    HOLDEN. 


To  Allen  Jordan. 

Raleigh,  Aug.  20th  1806. 
Yours  of  the  8th  iiist. — post-marked  the  16th,  is  just 
received.  It  is  almost  certain  that  the  new  Constitution 
is  rejected.  The  election  for  Govr.  and  members  of  As- 
sembly is  to  be  held  on  the  third  Thursday  of  October, 
altogether  irrespective  of  the  result  as  to  the  ratification 
or  rejection  of  the  amendments  to  the  constitution. 
Tkoy. 


748  XouTH  Carolina  Historical  Com^iission; 

To  CoJoncI  A.  J.  J)(ir(/a)i. 

Kalek;!!,  Aiiff.  21  ISOG. 


* 


KeiatiiiR  to  State         The   Pliihi.  Cpiivcutioii,   I  trust,  is  dispelling  the  clouds 

and  National  '  .  -n     i 

jH.iitics.  of    Radicalism.      rucertaintv    still   bangs   over   the    ques- 

tion whether  the  aiiu  iidod  constitution  is  ratified  or  re- 
jected. 

1  wouhl  write  you  nioi'c  at  large  hut  am  so  oppressed 
with  duties  that  1  cannot  at  present. 

There  seems  to  he  no  settled  plan  of  opposition  to  my 
re-election.  The  last  on  it  from  Radical  Head  Quarters 
here  is  to  bring  out  Logan  on  the  mingled  })rograme  of 
White  Basis  and  Radicalism  pure. 

Wadesboro. 


Kenan. 


Fnvit  li.  B.  Bruhjers.'^ 

Tarboro  X.  C.  Aucjust  21st  1S66. 

don "dr*o^"\v  *'*^'        Permit  me  to  ask  jour  kind  offices  in  procuring  a  par- 
don for  Col  Owen  R.  Kenan  of  Duplin. 

Col  Kenan  never  held  an  office  until  he  was  elected  a 
niemher  of  the  Confederate  Congress — he  declined  a  re- 
election. He  never  was  in  the  hahit  of  taking  a  part  in 
Politics.  He  was  a  strong  administration  man  during 
the  first  Congi'ess  and  was  a  very  strong  and  o])en  Anti- 
Holdcu  man — and  was  reconnnended  for  suspension.  He 
is  ;is  ti'uc  to  country  as  auy  man  in  it. 

'  Robert  K.  P>iiclg-eis,  of  Tarlxtro.  was  a  lawyer  of  large  practice 
before  the  war.  He  was  a  member  of  the  Legislature  in  1844,  and 
from  1856  to  1801.  In  1861  he  was  elected  to  the  Confederate  Con- 
gress. After  the  war  he  became  President  of  the  Wilmington  and 
Weldon  Railroad. 


COEEESPOXDENCE    OF    JONATHAN    WoETH.  7  J 'J 

To  Sion  II.  Rogers. 

Raleigh,  Augnst  21st  ISfJd. 

Two   embarrassing   questions   of   the   gravest   character  huerpretotkm  of 
present  themselves  to  us,  under  the  Ordinance  of  the  Con-  t»^«  election  laws, 
vention  of  the  25th  June  last,  as  to  counting  the  votes  for 
the  ratification  and  rejection  of  the  proposed  amendments 
to  the  Constitution. 

First — Are  we  required  to  open  and  count  the  votes 
on  the  29th  August  (being  20  daj's  after  the  second  Thurs- 
day of  Augiist)  whether  all  the  returns  shall  have  been 
received  or  not — or  may  we  lawfully'  postpone  the  count- 
ing to  such  later  period  as  we  may  deem  reasonable,  and 
receive  and  count  returns  which  may  come  to  hand  after 
the  29th  August  and  if  you  hold  that  we  may  receive  and 
count  returns  made  after  the  29th  Augt.  how  long  may  we 
hiwfully  postpone  such  counting^ 

Second — Should  it  turn  out  (as  we  have  good  reason 
to  believe  it  will)  that  some  of  those  returns  are  made 
without  the  Sheriff's  having  qualified  to  the  same  before 
the  Clerk  of  the  County  Court  as  required  by  the  ordin- 
ance, should  we  count  or  reject  such  returns  ? 

The  result  of  the  election  for  or  against  ratification  will 
probably  turn  upon  the  decision  of  these  questions,  and 
we  therefore  solicit  your  well  considered  opinion  on  them. 

We  have  the  honor  to  be 

Yours  very  respectfully, 

Jonathan  Woeth,  Gov.  of  X.  C. 
Tt.  W.  Best,  Sec.  of  State 
IvE:\rr  P.  Battle,  Pub.  Treas. 


To  Nereus  McndenJiall. 

Raleigh,  Aug  2Jfth  1866. 

I  regret  that  I  could  not  have  had  a  personal  conver-  poutu^l'i"posUi( 
sation  M'ith  you.     The  imputations  made  against  me  by 
Holden   and   his    followers   that   I    am   "playing  into   the 


750  XouTH  Carolina  Historical  Commission. 

liamb  of  the  Secessionists" — "by  giving-  all  the  offices  to 
thoni"  is  untrue — and  has  not,  as  I  think,  any  color  of 
truth.  Those  who  make  the  charges  regard  all  men  as 
secessionists,  who  cannot  take  the  Congressional  test  oath. 
If  this  were  the  true  definition  I  should  be  guilty.  I  do 
not  rank  as  secessionists  those  who  have  combatted  the 
doctrine  at  all  times  and  resisted  by  all  means  in  their 
power  the  inception  of  the  war,  but  whose  sympathies  were 
with  their  own  section  after  the  war  was  begun.  If  the 
government  is  to  be  administered  excluding  from  office 
all  who  sympathized  with  the  South  aftei^  the  war  begun, 
it  would  not  be  a  Republican  Government.  I  allow  there 
is  such  thing  as  repentence  in  politics  as  well  as  in  reli- 
gion. Those  who  are  now  loyal  to  the  goveniment  ought 
to  be  eligible  to  office,  and  the  electors  ought  to  be  the 
judges  who  are  so  repentant.  As  a  general  rule  the  pro- 
fessions of  a  new  convert  are  to  be  received  with  some 
distrust,  until  actions  shall  sustain  professions.  I  al- 
ways abhorred  with  equal  abhorrence  the  Disunionists  of 
the  ISTorth  and  the  South.  It  was  the  co-operation  of  those 
Northern  and  Southern  factionists,  with  different  objects, 
which  involved  the  nation  in  war — filled  the  country  with 
blood  and  mourning  and  entailed  on  us  a  national  debt 
which  must  oppress  us  for  generations.  That  Xorthem 
set  of  Disunionists,  as  I  think,  ruled  the  last  Congress, 
and  continued  the  severance  of  the  Union,  after  the  war 
had  crushed  the  Southern  Disunionists.  I  have  no  sym- 
pathy with  the  leaders  in  the  last  Congress  any  more  than 
I  had  with  the  Secessionists  of  S.  C.  I  never  knew  an 
hour  when  I  did  not  believe  that  the  Union  ought  to  be 
preserved.  I  believe  there  never  was  a  man  more  devoted 
to  the  Union  than  Andrew  Johnson,  and  as  between  a 
vindictive  Congress,  and  the  policy  of  the  President,  my 
sympathies  are  heartily  with  the  latter. 

My  patronage  has  not  been  used  for  the  benefit  of  Se- 
cessionists. The  most  important  office  within  my  gift 
was  that  of  State  Geologist.      I  o-ave  it  to  a  man,  whom  I 


COERESPOI^DEXCE    OF    JONATHAN    WoRTH.  751 

believed  to  be  well  qualified — who  like  myself  was  an  en- 
terprising Union  Whig  and  who  voted  for  Holden  on  the 
notion  of  expediency  at  the  time.  Your  Board  consists 
of  three  men — all  equally  opposed  to  Secession  but  one, 
Pool — when  Avar  came,  entered  the  Southern  army  and 
fought  to  the  end.  He  is  now  as  he  always  has  been,  op- 
posed to  Secession. 

Ramsey  and  AVinston,  my  Internal  Improvement  board, 
were  always  and  now  are  as  much  opposed  to  Disunion  as 
you  are. 

Of  the  numerous  Directors  on  the  Public  Works,  I  ap- 
pointed one  Secessionist  out  of  eight  on  the  A.  &  JST.  C. 
P.  R.  He  was  a  large  original  subscriber  for  the  stock. 
On  the  X.  C.  R.  R.  I  appointed  one  out  of  eight — at  the 
request  of  the  Wilmington  stockholders — who  had  sub- 
scribed 1-10  of  the  stock — On  the  R.  &  G.  R.  R.  every 
one  of  my  appointees  "were  old  Union  Whigs. — On  the 
W.  X.  C.  R.  R.,  one  out  of  the  8  directors  appointed  by 
me  was  a  Secessionist.  The  ]iroscriptive  spirit  which 
would  exclude  these  men  from  all  these  in  the  manage- 
ment of  their  investment  in  the  public  works,  would  be  un- 
christian and  impolitic. 

In  creating  a  board  to  manage  a  public  charity,  (the 
Lunatic  Asylum)  I  looked  for  men  of  intelligence;  leisure 
- — residents  here — and  distinguished  for  their  personal 
virtues  and  benevolence.  One  of  them  Govr.  Bragg,  was 
a  Secessionist  and  Mr.  Mordecai  was  a  strong  war  man. 
though  a  Whig. — They  get  no  pay.  The  Standard  made 
these  appointments  the  subject  of  bitter  invective.  When 
I  become  so  strong  a  partisan  as  to  exclude  such  men 
from  such  a  board  I  shall  feel  bound  to  exclude  them 
from  social  intercourse  with  me. 

If  the  meeting  at  Deep  River  was  for  the  purpose  of 
nominating  delegates  to  the  Sept.  Phila.  Convention,  I 
regret  that  you  participated  in  it.  A  kind  feeling  per- 
vades the  State  towards  the  Quakers.  I  think  at  least 
nine-tenths  of  the  people  and  nearly  all  the  intelligence 


732  North  CAROLI^•A  Historical  Commission. 

of  the  State  are  strongly  against  the  Convention  ancl  I 
do  not  perceive  sntHeient  reason  for  your  arraying-  the  bad 
feeling  of  the  State  against  yon.  I  ho])e  sneh  may  not 
have  been  the  object  of  the  meeting  or  that  your  action  in 
it  may  not  have  been  such  as  to  produce  prejudice  against 
your  Society. 

The  <2.cnnine  feelings  of  my  heart  are  expressed  in  the 
inclosed  circular. 

Xi:w  Garden. 


To  B.  S.  Hedrich 

KAl.KKiTI     AlKjUst    25,     ISOO. 

inrogimito  T   am   urgently   pressed  to   ask   the   President   to  grant 

pardons  to  Owen  H.  Kenan,  A.  T.  Davidson  and  B.  S. 
Gaither,  mend)ers  of  the  Confederate  Congress.  I  can 
oifer  no  reasons  in  favor  of  these  pardons  not  equally  ap- 
plicable to  Graham,  Turner  and  Dortch.  The  members 
of  the  Con.  Congress  and  most  of  those  most  prominent 
ill  this  State  for  the  disruption  of  the  Union,  have  been 
]3ardoned :  for  instance,  Wm.  Johnson,  ^Y.  X.  Edwards, 
Geo.  Davis,  Bridgers,  Yenable,  Arrington,  and  Lander 
and  Craige  was  recommended  for  pardon  and  I  suppose 
pardoned.  I  am  not  informed  as  to  the  granting  of  the 
latter  pardon.  I  am  far  from  complaining  of  these  par- 
dons. I  have  no  doubt  of  the  loyalty  of  these  men  now, 
but  a  Tnion  worth  preserving  cannnot  be  brought  about 
by  continued  severity  to  prostrate  men,  but  I  imagine  no 
mode  of  policy  or  justice  which  warrants  the  discrimina- 
tion which  is  made.  I  lately  made  an  urgent  appeal  by 
direct  letter  to  the  President  for  the  pardon  of  Graham 
Dortch  and  Turnei-.  I  have  received  no  response  of  any 
sort.  This  appeal  was  made  some  four  weeks  ago. 
Whether  it  is  regarded  as  an  officious  obstrusion  on  my 
part,  or  was  disregarded  from  this  cause  I  am  ignorant. 
The  fact  that  my  appeal  was  not  regarded  or  unanswered, 


CoKRESPONDi.JSCE    OF    JONATHAN    WoRTH.  753 

aclmoiiishes  nie  to  offer  no  further  interference  in  cases 
where  Gov.  Holdeu  had  recommended  suspension  or  re- 
jection. Can  you  not  get  at  the  President's  views.  Many 
of  our  j^eople  whose  pardons  are  withheld,  often  men  in 
obscure  positions  and  as  loyal  as  any  body,  but  hated  by 
Holden  on  personal  or  political  account,  distress  me  by 
their  importunity.  If  the  President  still  regards  Holden 
as  friendly  to  his  administration  it  is  because  he  does  not 
read  his  paper.  His  drift  is  manifest.  He  recommends 
the  adoption  of  the  Howard  amendment,  throws  cold  wa- 
ter on  the  Phila.  Convention — encourages  the  appoint- 
ment of  delegates  to  the  contemplated  counter  conven- 
tion. He  hopes  again  to  get  into  power  by  the  success  of 
the  Radicals  and  the  overthrow  of  civil  govt,  of  this 
State.  I  think  the  President,  as  an  act  of  justice  and 
of  policy,  ought  to  pardon  all  or  very  nearly  all  the  pe- 
titioners from  this  State. 
Washington,   D.  C. 


To  C.  B.  Denson. 

Raleigh  Aug.  25  1866. 

Your  polite  invitation  to  attend  the  commencement  ex- 
ercises of  your  Academy  has  been  reed. 

I  deem  in  my  eluty  to  do  every  thing  I  can  personally 
and  officially  to  advance  the  spirit  of  education  in  this 
State,  and  will  endeavor  to  be  with  you  on  Thursday 
night,  if  possible. — I  shall  be  delayed  here  all  of  Wednes- 
day (and  possibly  Thursday)  on  indispensable  official 
business  (counting  and  reporting  the  votes  on  Ratiiica- 
tion  or  rejection  of  the  proposed  new  Constitution). 

PiTTSBORO. 


Vol.  2—7 


754  XuKTii   Carolixa  Historical  Commission. 

From  Sion  II.  Ilogers. 

Rat.kigii  Aurjiid  25th  IStJG. 
The  eoimminiciitioii  of  X.  N.  Adams  Clerk  of  JSTorth- 
liaiiiptoii  County  Court  referred  to  me  by  you  has  been 
received  and  upon  examination  I  consider  that  Thomas 
G.  Tucker  is  still  a  Justice  of  the  Peace  and  entitled  to 
discharge  all  the  functions  of  that  office. 


From.  Colonel  William  G.  Moore. 

Executive  Maxsion, 
WASHmoTON  D.  C.  August  26  1866 
I  am  reminded,  by  an  inquiry  of  the  President,  that 
I  failed  to  comply  with  his  directions  to  notify  you  of  his 
order  of  the  19th  inst,  for  the  release  of  Tolar,  Powers 
and  Watkins.  I  regret  that  in  my  desire  to  see  that  there 
was  no  delay  attending  the  transmission  of  the  order  to 
the  War  Department,  I  omitted  to  give  you  prompt  no- 
tice of  the  President's  action.  It  is  true  that  the  news- 
papers, on  the  succeeding  day,  proclaimed  the  release  of 
the  prisoners ;  but  the  great  interest  you  had  taken  in 
their  case  made  it  but  just  and  proper  that  you  should 
have  been  formally  uotitied  of  the  success  of  your  efforts 
in  their  behalf. 


From  B.  S.  Hedrich. 

Wastiixgton,  D.  C.  Aug.  27,  66. 
Pardon  matters.  1   cannot  liud  any  papers  on  file  for  the  pardon  of  R. 

K.  Jones  of  Wake.  If  Ilolden  ever  had  the  papers  he 
probably  suppressed  them.  It  would  therefore  be  bet- 
ter for  Mr.  Jones  to  prepare  a  new  ])etition,  have  you 
approve  it  and  send  it  on. 


Correspondence  of  Jonathan  Worth.  755 

Inclosed  is  a  pencil  list  of  names  of  persons  whose  pe- 
titions I  found  in  the  Attorney  General's  office  sometime 
ago,  which  Holden  had  recommended  to  be  suspended.  In 
all  such  cases  it  is  generally  better  to  file  a  new  petition, 
rather  than  go  to  the  trouble  of  revising  the  old  one. 

[P.  S.]  Was  the  pardon  of  N'athau  ^ewby  among  the 
big  lot  sent  in  May  lost  ?  I  wrote  Mr.  Bagley  about  it  a 
few  days  ago.     Mr.  ISTewby  is  of  Perquimans  Co. 


To  General  R.  E.  Colston. 

Ealeigh,  Aug.  28  1SG6. 
Mr  Guthrie  has  applied  to  the  officers  of  the  Capitol  concerning  use  of 

^  ^  Commons  Hall  for 

for  leave  to  you  to  deliver  a  lecture  in  the  Commons  Hall  a  icctm-e. 
on  the  life  of  Gen.  Thos.  J.  Jackson,  for  an  admission 
fee  for  yourself.  We  are  severally  admirers  of  the  sub- 
ject of  your  proposed  lecture — but  have  in  no  instance 
granted  the  use  of  the  Hall  for  the  delivery  of  a  lecture 
where  a  portion  of  the  proceeds  was  not  granted  to  some 
charitable  purpose.  If  we  de])art  from  this  rule  you  will 
readily  appreciate  the  difficulties  in  which  we  shall  be 
involved. 

We  think  you  will  realise  more  from  your  proposed 
lecture  and  disembarrass  us,  if  you  propose  to  give  half 
the  proceeds  to  the  Young  Men's  Christian  Association 
of  this  City,  who  will  use  it  for  the  relief  of  the  indigent 
of  the  City.  In  this  case  the  Association  will  be  active 
in  selling  your  tickets  and  we  ""'nil  with  pleasure  grant  the 
use  of  the  Hall  to  you. 

HiLLSBORO. 


756  XoRTH  Carolina  Historical  Commission. 

To  Nerciis  MendenlidU. 

Raleigk  Aug.  30/66. 
Political  raatu-rs.         I  st'c  tliis  nioi'iiiiig  ill  the  iStandard  the  action  of  the 
meeting  at  Deep  liiver  Meeting  house. 

The  resolutions  are  cautiously  drawn  but  the  action 
of  the  meeting  in  sending  delegates  to  the  Phila.  Sept. 
Convention  repudiates  the  action  of  the  late  Phila  Con- 
vention— and  is  in  antagonism  with  the  President.  It 
in  effect  endorses  the  constitutional  amendment  which 
denies  to  the  people  of  this  State  the  right  to  elect  as  a 
Constable  Frank  Caldwell,  W,  A.  Graham,  Lewis  Hor- 
ner, the  writer  hereof  and  thousands  of  others  of  like 
stripe. 

I  do  not  doubt  the  good  intentions  of  the  actors  in  the 
meeting,  but  I  deplore  the  fact  that  any  prominent 
Quakers  deemed  it  their  duty  to  participate  in  a  political 
meeting,  having  for  its  main  object  the  exclusion  from 
official  position,  as  unworthy  to 'be  trusted,  such  stead- 
fast friends  of  theirs  as  Gilmer,  Graham,  myself  and 
others  while  it  makes  eligible  to  office  the  most  ultra  Seces- 
sionists who  entered  the  Southern  army  or  Congi-ess  and 
did  every  thing  he  could  to  break  up  the  Union,  provided 
he  had  held  no  office  before  the  war.  I  do  not  think  any 
object  of  public  duty  made  it  expedient  or  wise,  that 
prominent  Quakers,  like  yourself  and  Jonathan  Harris, 
should  have  participated  in  such  a  meeting.  I  am  a  de- 
voted friend  of  Quakerism  and  hope  your  action  may  not 
prove  prejudicial  to  your  Society. 

The  resolution  calling  for  protection  to  Union  men  in 
this  State  is  a  covert  imputation  upon  the  judicial  and 
other  authorities  of  this  State,  wholly  unwai-ranted  by 
their  action. 

[P.  S.]  As  to  the  fairness  with  which  I  have  acted  in 
the  case  of  petitions  referred  to  me,  I  defy  the  attacks 
(if  made  openly)  of  malevolence  itself. 


CORKESPONDENCE    OF    JONATHAN    WoRTII.  757 

The  400  petition  has  not  been  referred  to  me.  It  was 
sent  to  Hedrick  who  sent  me  a  copy  of  it.  I  sent  a  copy 
to  Mr.  AVilson.  I  will  direct  a  copy  of  his.  answer  sent  to 
yon. 

TSTew  Garden. 


W.  H.  Bagleij  to  J.  P.  Foster. 

Rai.eigh,  Sept.  1st  ISOO. 

Yonr  letter  to  the  Governor  of  the  30th  nit.  has  been  Regarding  a  Fed- 
eral apix)iiitmeiit. 

received.  The  Governor  is  now  absent,  but  will  return  in 
a  day  or  so,  when  he  will  answer  you.  You  are  mistaken 
when  you  suppose  Gov.  W.  has  any  prejudices  against 
you,  either  personal  or  political.  In  his  recommendations 
for  Federal  offices  in  this  State,  he  has  always  acted  upon 
requests  from  the  head  of  the  Department  in  which  the  ap- 
poinment  was  to  be  made,  and,  always,  endeavors  to  carry 
out  the  wishes  of  those  among  whom  the  duties  of  the  office 
are  to  be  exercised.  He  has  been,  in  your  case,  urged  to 
recommend  Mr.  Savage,  a  native  of  Wilmington,  and  he 
understood  him  to  be  the  choice  of  the  Wilmington  mer- 
chants, and  as  such  requested  his  appointment.  I  am 
sure,  the  Governor  has  had  no  feeline;  in  the  whole  matter. 


To  Joseph  B.  Jones. 

Raleigh,  September  JftJi  1866. 

Yours  postmarked  Sep.  -Ith  is  just  reed. 

Whoever  professes   that   I   have    appropriated      public  Defending  himsoir 

,  against  slander, 

money  to  my  personal  use  and  rests  such  pretext  upon  a 
mass  of  reports  is  both  a  knave  and  a  fool.  I  defy  the 
most  malevolent  of  my  enemies  to  the  most  scrutinising  in- 
vestigation of  all  accounts  and  reports.  I  believe  the 
charge  to  be  equally  false  as  to  Gov.  Vance.  There  is 
no  colorable  ground  for  the  imputation  against  either 
of  us. 


758  ^'oRTii  Carolina  Historical  Commission. 

T  have  heard  that  a  member  from  your  County  offered 
in  the  Convention  or  in  the  Genl  Assembly  a  resolution 
and  that  a  com.  of  incjuiry  was  appointed  and  that  it 
rested  its  resolution  u]ion  one  of  my  reports  in  which  in 
summing  up  the  State's  indebtedness  I  included  $4,500,- 
000.  of  State  bonds  ""delivered  to  the  Govr.  to  be  sent  to 
Europe  to  be  used  if  necessary,  as  collateral  security  for 
the  payment  of  our  cotton  bonds,  which  were  sent  to 
England  but  not  used,  as  I  learn  from  the  Govr,  the  cot- 
ton bonds  having  been  readily  sold  without  this  security". 

These  bonds  were  delivered  to  the  Govr.  by  an  act 
of  Assembly.  When  they  went  from  the  Treasuiy  they 
were  charged  up  as  a  usual  State  debt:  but  as  I  was  in- 
formed by  the  Govr.  that  they  had  not  been  used,  but 
were  in  England  to  be  brought  back  when  the  war  ended 
and  restored  to  the  Treasury  it  was  proper  that  my  re- 
port should  show  that  upon  this  state  of  facts,  the  State 
indebtedness  was  less  by  $4,500,000.  than  it  purported  to 
be.  Stupidity  could  only  base  a  charge  of  fraud  against 
me  on  this  transaction,  ISTor  would  any  honest  man  con- 
sider it  as  raising  a  suspicion  of  fraud  against  the  Govr. 
These  bonds  having  been  repudiated  by  ordinance  of  the 
Convention,  the  Genl  Assembly  did  not  deem  it  expedient 
to  incur  the  expense  of  having  them  brought  back.  If  the 
vigilant  member  suspected  that  the  Governor  had  sold 
them:  (if  he  had  any  sense,  he  could  not  suspect  me)  his 
course  should  have  been  to  pass  a  resolution  to  have  the 
Treasurer  cause  them  to  be  brought  back.  This  would 
have  resulted  in  showing  whether  there  was  any  founda- 
tion for  his  suspicion.  I  have  not,  and  never  had  any 
suspicion  that  Gov  Vance  was  capable  of  the  baseness 
which  this  suspicion  implies.  His  poverty  ought  to  ex- 
culpate him,  even  with  his  bitterest  enemies. 

Hearing  that  a  resolution  had  been  offered  and  referred, 
which  they  never  intended  as  an  imputation  upon  my  in- 
tegrity,  I   sought  for   the   Chairman,   who  had   voted   for 


Correspondence  of  Jonathan  Worth.  7£9 

Ilolden  and  not  for  me,  and  desired  to  have  notice  when 
the  eonnnittee  should  act.  I  never  heard  any  thing  fur- 
ther from  it;  and  the  impntatidn  was  so  ridicuonsly  al)- 
siird  that  it  had  passed  from  my  recollection  till  I  got 
your  letter.  I  do  not  remember  the  name  of  the  mover 
of  this  resolution.  I  suppose  he  was  a  malevolent  radical 
who  thought  he  had  laid  some,  sort  of  foundation  for  the 
indulgence  of  an  unworthy  attack  on  me. — or  was  such 
a  fool  that  he  could  not  understand  my  report. 

As  to  my  past  and  present  views  in  relation  to  Xa- 
tional  affairs,  I  supposed  they  were  well  known. — I  never 
believed  in  the  doctrine  of  secession  and  strenuously  op- 
posed every  thing  tending  to  bring  on  the  rebellion,  until 
war  was  fully  inaugurated.  Even  then  I  refused  to  be 
a  member  of  the  Convention  of  18G1 — but  when  it  was 
narrowed  do\\Ti  to  take  sides  for  or  against  my  native 
State,  I  took  sides  with  the  South  and  acted  with  good 
faith  with  the  South  to  the  end  of  the  conflict — but  I  be- 
lieved that  we  were  too  weak  to  maintain  the  contest,  and 
while  we  had  a  formidable  army  in  the  field,  I  was  for 
making  peace  on  the  basis  of  re-union — I  did  not  favor 
the  silly  cry  of  peace  and  Independence. 

When  the  war  was  ended  I  was  for  mutual  forgiveness 
at  home  and  abroad  and  mollifjdng  the  passions,- — restor- 
ing the  Union  and  going  to  \vork  to  rebuild  our  shattered 
fortunes. 

I  abhor  the  Disunionists  of  the  North  who  tax  us  but 
refuse  to  receive  our  members  into  Congress. 

I  fervently  sustain  the  policy  of  the  Prest.  and  the 
late  Phila.  Convention  and  have  no  sympathy  with  any 
Southern  man,  (if  there  be  any)  in  the  Fred.  Douglass 
Convention  supposed  to  be  now  sitting. 

This  is  a  hasty  sketch  of  my  position.  It  is  not  in- 
tended as  confidential  but  I  would  not  be  M'illing  to  be 
annoyed,  in  the  midst  of  official  duties,  as  heavy  as  I 
can  bear,  with  a  news-paper  controversy.  You  may  usf 
it  in  any  way  you  please,  except  through  the  Press.     It  is 


760  AoRTii  Carolina  Historical  Commission. 

written  eurrcnte  calaii'.i'  wirlioiit  the  awr  re  quired  in  a 
paper  intended  for  pnl)ii('ali(>ii. 

I  have  no  copies  of  mv  I'cports — ISliall  Le  pleased  to 
answer  any  future  li  ttcr  you  may  address  to  me. 

WiLijAMs  borough. 


To  John  A .  Gihno: 

Kalp:igii  Sep.  4,  1866. 

W'hiit  is  the  matter  Avith  Xerens  Mendenhall  i  That 
he  should  participate  in  a  meeting-  opposing  the  henefi- 
eent  policy  of  the  Prest  and  the  Phila.  Convention  and 
favoring  the  vindicative  and  Disunion  schemes  of  the 
uhra  Radicals  annoys  me — and  the  fact  that  he  is  one  of 
my  appointees  to  office,  occasions  unpleasant  commentary. 

I  fancy  that  he  has  become  such  a  recluse  that  he  is 
ignorant  of  passing  events.  Can't  you  see  him  and  post 
him  ?  Is  it  possible  that  he  and  Jonathan  Harris  are  fair 
exponents  of  the  present  sentiments  of  the  Quakers  ? 

Grekxshoko. 


To  J  runes  P.  Foster. 

Raleigh  Sep.  J/./66. 
Reprardiug  a  Fed-        Mv  actinii  iu  relation  to  the  recommendation  for  a  Col- 

eral  aiipointment. 

1(  ctor  foi-  the  Port  of  Wilmington  has  not  been  influenced 
by  any  ])rejudrice  against  you  personally.  I  emphatically 
recommended  Mr.  Savage  and  opposed  the  oppointment 
of  any  other  because  my  information  led  me  to  believe 
that  the  shippers  of  Wilmington  were  about  unanimous 
in  favor  of  Mr.  Savage.  I  have  been  governed  exclusively 
by  a  desire  to  act  in  conformity  with  the  wishes  of  those 
whose  interest  were  involved  and  whose  preferences,  I 
thought,  ought  to  control  tlie  nomination.     I  have  no  un- 


COREESPOXDEXCE    OF    JoXATHAI^    WoRTH.  761 

friendly  feeling  to  yon,  nor  has  any  body  songht  to  prejn- 
dice  yon  in  my  estimation.     I  have  looked  solely  to  the 
wishes  of  the  shippers. 
Wil:mixgtox. 


To  Marsliall  Parl's. 

Ealeigh  Sep.  Mil  1800. 
Owine"  to  temporary  al)sence  from  the  citv  vonrs  of  the  Accepting  an 

o  i  t  t     I  invitation. 

30th  Ang.  has  not  been  sooner  acknowledged. 

Dr.  Ramsey,  of  Rowan,  and  P.  H.  Winston  of  Bertie, 
the  members  of  my  Board  of  Internal  Improvement, 
whom  I  wonld  especially  wish  to  have  with  me  on  the 
trip  you  so  politely  invite  ns  to  take  on  yonr  Canal,  live 
oif  any  line  of  R.  E.  and  the  proposed  time  for  the  ex- 
cursion is  too  near  at  hand  to  enable  me  to  communicate 
with  them — Besides  Jsir.  Winston,  I  suppose,  will  be  in 
attendance  on  Wilmington  Court  at  the  time  suggested. 

It  would  give  me  great  personal  pleasure  to  make  the 
trip  while  I  should  be  acquiring  information  useful  to  me 
in  the  discharge  of  my  executive  duties. 

If  convenient  to  you  I  would  like  to  make  the  excur- 
sion say  any  day  you  may  designate  in  the  week  commen- 
cing the  ISth  of  Oct.- — giving  me  timely  notice  so  I  can 
summon  Dr.  R.  and  ]\Ir.  AV.  to  accompany. 

Thanking  you  for  your  polite  invitation — I  am — very 
respectfully — 

XORFOT.K,   Va. 


To  J.  J.  Crairford. 

Raleigh  Sept.  5  ISOO. 
Yours  of  the  23rd  ult.  reached  me  yesterday. 
I  have  examined  the  acts  passed  at  the  session  of  186G.  Declining  to  give 

certain  instruc- 

amendinff  former  legislation  in  relation     to     the     ]\Eaeon  tions  to  state 

^  '^  agent. 


'62  North  Carolina  Historical  Commission. 

County  Turnpike  Company  and  the  Tuckaseege  and 
Keowee  Turnpike  Company,  to  which  you  call  my  atten- 
tion. You  ask  me  to  instruct  the  agent  of  the  State  for 
the  collection  of  the  Cherokee  bonds  to  withhold  any  fur- 
ther subscription  to  either  road  until  after  the  meeting  of 
the  next  Legislature.  This  is  requested  on  account  of 
some  misunderstanding  as  to  the  construction  of  these 
acts.  You  do  not  indicate  what  is  the  difficulty  as  to 
the  construction.  I  do  not  find  in  either  act  any  authority 
conferred  on  me  to  control  the  agent  nor  do  I  know  of  any 
other  law  authorising  me  to  exercise  such  power.  This  re- 
sponsibility must  rest  with  the  agent.  As  you  do  not 
present  the  point  of  ditiiculty,  I  can  only  suggest,  in  gen- 
eral terms,  that  if  the  agent  is  in  doubt  as  to  his  duty, 
he  had  probably  better  do  nothing  until  the  Genl  Assembly 
shall  more  clearly  define  its  will.  I  think  I  have  no 
right  to  interfere, — and  consequently  that  my  instructions 
would  give  no  protection  to  the  agent. 

I  inclose  to  you  as  requested  a  copy  of  ni}'  dispatch 
to  the  President  and  his  answer  in  relation  to  the  proviso 
of  the  9th  Sec.  of  the  act  in  relation  to  free  negroes. 

You  will  have  learned  before  this  reaches  you  that 
measures  are  on  foot  by  the  small  band  of  Radicals  in 
this  State  to  bring  out  opposition  to  me.  The  movers 
favor  the  plans  of  the  Radical  Congress  and  oppose  the 
views  of  the  President.  I  suppose  they  calculate  that 
the  Radicals  will  prevail  and  desire  to  put  themselves  in 
condition  to  claim  the  benefit  of  the  dispensation  reserved 
to  two-thirds  of  Congress,  if  the  Howard  amendment  pre- 
vails. I  think  they  have  no  idea  of  electing  their  man, 
should  they  find  any  one  willing  to  accept  their  nomina- 
tion. It  is  commonly  reported  that  they  will  nominate 
Genl  Logan,  of  Rutherford  and  to  mix  up  some  white 
basis  issue.  I  thought  the  basis  agreed  on  by  the  late 
Convention  a  fair  compromise  and  voted  for  the  ratifica- 
tion of  the  proposed  amendments. 


Correspo:n"de2>'ce  of  Jonathax  Worth.  763 

You  say  my  prospects  in  Macon  are  all  my  friends 
could  desire.  They  seem  to  be  equally  so  throughout  the 
State.  I  have  no  reason  to  fear  the  opposition  of  the 
Radicals  but  regret  the  ill  l)Iood  which  may  spring  from 
such  an  opposition.  It  is  amazing  to  me  that  men  pro- 
fessing to  be  Union  men,  should  favor  a  Congress  which 
has  thus  opposed  re-union — who  claim  and  exercise  the 
power  to  tax  us,  without  allowing  us  representation. 

Fr.vxki.ix. 


To  D.  G.   Worth. 

Raleigh,  Sep.  5/66. 

Has  the  matter  as  to  Collector  of  your  port  becni  finally 
settled  ?  I  am  ready  to  do  any  thing  I  can  to  carry  out 
the  wishes  of  your  shippers.  I  am  in  receipt  of  a  letter 
from  Foster,  asking  to  remove  prejudice  which  he  sup- 
poses Fuller  has  produced  in  my  mind  against  him.  I 
have  assured  [him]  that  the  wishes  of  the  shippers  have 
shaped  and  wall  shape  my  conduct  in  this  matter.  I  have 
no  personal  feeling  about  it. 

We  are  in  continual  lest  this  hot  weather  and  the  pres- 
sure of  your  business  may  prostrate  you  again. 

WlL]MIXGTOX. 


From  P.  H.   ]Yinston. 

WixDsoR  5  Sep.  1866. 
I  reed,  a  week  or  two  ago  a  letter  from  you  and  wouUl  Politics, 
have  replied  at  once  but  for  sickness. 

I  see  that  the  turn  now  is  to  raise  the  cry  of  the  white 
basis  and  run  Logan  or  Henry  against  you.  Should  this 
be  in  reality  attempted  you  must  devote  some  time  to  the 
West.  Your  vote  for  the  new  Constitution  should  be 
made  known  every  where  up  there.     I  do  not   apprehend 


I 


764  XoRTii  Carolina  Historical  Commission. 

anything  serious  to  grow  out  of  this  nuittcr.  Those  who 
side  with  Congress  on  the  Howard  amendment  will  be 
so  thoroughly  the  father  of  it  that  it  must  end  in  lament- 
able failure. 

The  days  roll  around.  The  election  approaches.  Your 
prominent  friends  should  now  preoccupy  the  whole 
ground.  Gov.  Graham,  Phillips  and  Turner,  Charley 
Clark,  AV.  A.  Wright,  and  all  such  men  all  over  the  State 
should  be  quietly  but  firmly  planting  your  name  in  the 
minds  of  the  people. 

I  have  not  the  slightest  fear  of  the  result.  Pool  and 
Thompson  still  stick  to  their  promise  to  vote  for  you. 
I  have  not  a  word  from  any  one  down  this  way  wanting 
opposition. 

Our  friend  Doct  Hogg  M^as  a  little  chaf-ed  at  not  being 
made  a  director.  My  voice  will  be  for  transferring 
Strange  to  the  Wilmington  Road  and  putting  Hogg  in 
his  place. 

Doct.  Joyner  of  Halifax  tried  very  hard  to  get  Matt 
Pansom  to  run  against  you,  so  Pansom  told  me. 

T  shall  see  a  great  many  people  down  here  from  now  on 
until  the  election  and  will  of  course  have  them  up  and  get 
them  to  turn  out. 

I  Avish  that  Gihner  or  ^sTat  Poyden  were  looked  to  as 
Senator  in  Pool's  place.  Either  one  of  them  can  beat 
Pool  two  to  one.  I  understand  that  Pool  is  denouncing 
the  Phila.  convention  as  an  assemblage  of  secessionists.  I 
think  I  will  write  to  Gilmer. 

I  had  some  idea  of  vv'riting  to  Genl.  Dockery  calling  on 
him  to  support  you.     I  am  however  a  little  afraid  of  him. 

I  hope  that  you  will  now  continually  bring  to  bear 
your  influence  witli  all  your  friends.  Judge  Merrimon 
whom  I  met  last  week  at  Martin  County  thinks  you  will 
get  a  good  vote  in  the  West.  The  great  thing  is  if  we 
get  pushed  to  have  a  thorough  full  and  united  effort 
simultancouslv  uiade  all  over  the  State.     If  another  Con- 


Correspondence  of  Jonathan  Worth.  765 

vention  is  wanted  by  tlie  West  do  not  get  in  the  way. 
Keep  nncomniitted  generally.  As  for  Logan  or  Henry 
you  can  beat  either  ont  of  sight  nnless  yon  make  some 
blnnder,  which  I  am  snre  yon  will  not  do. 

I  have  not  deemed  it  prndent  in  Bertie  to  make  too 
mneh  noise.  Holden  got  377  Worth  77  here,  ^ext  time 
I  think  you  will  beat  any  man  to  come  against  you  100  to 
200  votes.  Indeed  I  hope  to  get  you  nearly  all  the  votes 
in  the  County.  In  IsTorthampton  you  will  get  nearly  all. 
In  Martin  ditto,  Washington  ditto.  Indeed  in  all  the 
Country  you  will  run  well. 

I  shall  be  2,lad  to  hear  from  von. 


To  James  8.  Pledge. 

Ra"leigh,  Sept.  otli  1806. 

Yours  of  the  1  inst.  asking  me  that  I  "had  insti-uctcd  Financial  matters. 
the  legislature     at     the     coming     session     respecting    the 
financial  condition  of  the  country". 

You  say  many  ]>eople  in  your  section  are  in  favor  of 
general  repudiation  of  all  debts  contracted  previous  to 
May  1865,  both  public  and  private",  and  that  many  of 
you  would  like  to  know  my  views  on  the  subject. 

I  am  persuaded,  on  reflection,  you  will  perceive  the 
first  question  is  one  which  is  very  broad  in  its  character, 
and  I  suppose  the  latter  portion  of  your  letter  in  rela- 
tion to  repudiation  is  the  subject  as  to  which  you  desire 
to  have  my  views. 

The  Constitution  of  the  United  States,  which  every 
public  officer  takes  an  oath  to  support,  forbids  a  State  to 
pass  any  law  impairing  the  obligation  of  a  contract.  If 
the  Genl  xissembly  were  to  pass  a  law  releasing  all  per- 
sons from  the  performance  of  contracts  made  prior  to 
May  1865,  the  Judiciary  would  pronounce  such  law  un- 
constitutional  and   void.      I   admit  the  extreme  hardship 


76G  North  Caroijna  IIistoeical  Commission. 

arisiiiii'  from  the  repudiating  of  the  debts  contracted  by 
the  State  during  the  war,  residtiug  in  the  failure  of  the 
Banks,  and  loss  to  the  honest  citi/ens  who  held  the  orders 
of  the  I>anks,  the  loss  of  the  Common  kSchool  Fund,  etc. — 
^lany  who  were  no  way  responsible  for  the  war,  were  thus 
made  bankrupt — and  the  failure  of  one  often  resulted  in 
the  failure  of  many  others. — I  feel  most  profoundly  for 
those,  who  without  any  fault  of  their  own,  have  lost  the 
means  of  fulfilling  their  contracts, —  and  am  desirous  of 
doing  all  I  can  for  their  relief,  consistent  with  my  oath 
of  office  and  the  rules  of  justice  and  honesty — but  sup- 
posing this  insuperable  Constitutional  difficulty  were  not 
in  the  way,  could  any  honest  man  who  had  bought  land 
or  a  horse  or  any  other  ]jroperty  of  his  neighbor,  hold  the 
i^ropei-ty  and  not  pay  the  debt  ? 

The  debt  this  State  owes  was  contracted  mainly  in 
building  her  rail  roads.  A  considerable  part  of  it  is  due 
to  Orphans,  whose  funds  were  invested  in  State  bonds  by 
a  law  passed  before  the  war  authorising  guardians  and 
other  trustees  to  invest  in  these  bonds  and  pledging  the 
honor  of  the  State  for  their  payment.  Can  the  State  with 
honor  turn  off  these  orphans  penniless  ?  Can  she  hold  the 
roads  and  refuse  to  pay  the  debt  contracted  to  build  them  ? 
It  is  contended  1)y  many  that  as  the  Northern  people,  who 
holfl  most  of  these  bonds,  by  forcing  ns  to  free  our  negroes, 
burning  our  property,  etc.,  have  impoverished  ns,  and 
that  we  are  therefore  justified  in  refusing  to  pay  them. 
Even  if  this  logic  were  just,  that  one  wrong  justifies  an- 
other, I  do  not  perceive  the  policy  of  knocking  at  the 
National  door  and  asking  to  be  admitted  as  members  of 
the  family,  but  at  the  same  time  telling  them  we  don't  in- 
tend to  pay  them  what  we  owe  them. 

Other  pressing  duties  deny  me  the  opportunity  of  go- 
ing further  into  this  subject  at  this  time.  I  do  not  re- 
gard Repndiation  as  a  good  remedy  for  our  calamities.  I 
am  opposed  to  it  in  every  form. 


CoRRESPOJfDENCE    OF    Jo^^ATHAX    WoRTH.  767 

People  should  not  rely  too  miicli  on  Legislation  to  relieve 
them.  Most  of  creditors  onght  to  and  will  indulge  a 
debtor  honestly  struggling  to  pay. — ^Yhere  the  debts  are 
too  large  for  the  debtor  to  hope  to  pay  or  the  creditor 
rigorous  he  can  generally  agree  on  a  compound  with  the 
creditors  and  where  a  creditor  is  a  Shylock,  the  debtor 
can  cause  him  to  come  to  terms  by  making  a  deed  in  trust, 
excluding  him,  if  he  will  make  no  reasonable  arrangement. 
The  arrangement  must  depend  on  each  particular  case. 

I  have  no  specific  plan  fully  digested  for  supplying  a 
currency  but  shall  anxiously  endeavor  to  do  whatever 
may  Constitutionally  be  done  to  aid  our  distressed  debtors. 

Leaksville. 


To  A.  M.  TomJinson. 

Raleigh  Sept.  6  1S66. 
The  relations  between  you  and  me  are  such     that     I  Rrsarrti"?.'  action 

tJ  of  (Quakers  in 

think  I  may  address  you  confidentially  without  any  ap-  ^""""^  Carolina, 
prehension  of  misconstruction. 

The  great  question  which  now  absorbs  all  others  is  how 
is  real  fraternal  Union  to  be  restored  ?  All  profess  to 
have  this  in  view.  Two  plans  are  presented — the  one 
known  as  the  President's  plan  and  the  other  as  the  Congres- 
sional plan. — I  adopt  the  former,  because  it  looks  to  for- 
giveness and  good  will  towards  those  who  rebelled  and  to 
genuine  reconciliation — the  other  looks  to  punishing  all 
who  have  fallen  into  this  error.  The  latter  plan  must 
keep  up  animosity  and  hatred  and  is  a  Union  looking, 
not  to  the  affections  of  the  people,  but  to  the  sword,  to 
sustain  it.  Between  these  plans  it  had  never  occurred  to 
me  that  any  Quaker  could  hesitate,  until  I  saw  the  names 
of  my  friends  E"ereus  Mendenhall  and  Jonathan  Harris 
recorded  in  a  meeting  called  to  send  delegates  to  Phila. 
to  sustain  the  Congressional  plan, — and  Jonathan  Har- 
ris  selected   as   a   delegate  to  said  Convention.      I  know 


7GS  XoKTIl    CAUOLI^'A    HiSTOKICAL    COMMISSION. 

the  uiiiiv  which  disiiiiiiuishcs  ihc  (Quakers  and  fear  these 
two  f ri(  luls  retieet  the  will  of  their  fellow  menihers.  My 
whole  life  exhibits  my  ])artiality  for  the  Quakers — 
Through  evil  and  good  report  I  have  ahvays  stood  by 
them  and  have  never,  I  believe,  differed  from  them  ])0- 
litically.  If  they  are  now  in  favor  of  a  Congress,  which, 
as  I  think,  is  as  sectional  and  averse  to  genuine  Union, 
as  was  any  Southern  Convention  which  broke  up  the 
Union  or  attempted  to  break  it  up — and  which,  as  I 
think;  indulges  and  encourages  sectional  malevolence,  then 
we  cannot  harmonise  in  this  instance — But  assuming  that 
we  disagree,  it  seems  to  me  unfortunate  that  the  Quakers 
should  take  active  part  in  so  exciting  a  political  question 
— (^specially  on  the  side  Avhieh  holds  that  Graham,  Gil- 
mer, myself,  and  others  who  have  always  been  their 
friends,  are  unworthy  to  be  constables  in  Korth  Carolina. 

T  have  no  reason  to  fear  that  I  shall  be  triumphantly 
re-elected — but  it  would  be  most  painful  to  me  and  as  I 
think,  unfortunate  for  the  Quakers  if  they  should  take 
sides   against  me. 

It  may  possibly  be  unpleasant  to  you  to  say  anything 
in  re])ly.  I  would  by  no  means  have  you  do  any  thing 
which  might  interfere  with  the  quiet  which  you  ought  to 
enjoy — and  your  silence  will  not  diminish  the  esteem  in 
which  you  are  held  by 

Your  friend 
Brsii  Hilt.. 


Tolitical  mutters. 


To  D.  F.  Caldwell. 

Raleigh  Sept.  6/66. 
Acce])t  my  sincere  thanks  for  your  letter  of  yesterday. 
I  concur  heartily  in  all  the  views  you  express  and  am 
much  obliged  to  you  for  the  facts,  all  of  which  are  new 
to  me. 

T  have  so  coutinually  occupied  with  business  that  I  am 
not  keeping  posted  as  to  the  movements  of  those  who  are 


CoRKESPO^fDEIv'CE    OF    JoXATHAN    "WoRTH.  769 

seeking  to  get  out  opposition  to  nie.  I  have  lately  received 
letters  from  dilt'erent  quarters  which  have  led  me  to  be- 
lieve that  the  organization  commonlj^  called  red  strings, 
is  being  revived,  for  the  purpose  I  suppose,  of  sustaining 
the  Radical  Congress. 

The  leaders  of  that  CongTess  I  regard  as  straight  out 
Disunionists — induliring  and  encouraging'  sectional  malev- 
olence.  And  hence  I  feel  toward  them  abhorrence  I  al- 
ways felt  towards  those,  North  &  South,  who  sought  to 
breai  up  the  Union.  I  endorse  fully  the  first  Phila. 
Convention  and  the  president's  plan  of  restoration. — I 
am  for  reconciliation  at  home  and  abroad  and  always  op- 
posed to  Sectionalism.  I  am  amazed  and  mortified  that 
Jonathan  Harris  and  Nereus  Mendenhall  should  show 
sympathy  for  the  Radicals:  and  fear,  as  you  do,  that  they 
represent  the  feelings  of  the  Quakers.  I  will  write  to 
some  others  of  their  leaders  to  find  out. 

I  wish  you  had  given  me  the  conversation  to  the  soldiers 
to  which  you  refer.  I  suppose  it  was  not  complimentary 
to  me.  I  am  not  ultra  enough  to  siiit  any  interest,  and 
not  very  odious  to  any  of  them. — I  am  not  the  first  choice 
of  any  of  the  heated  partizans  of  the  State,  but  I  have 
no  doubt  of  my  re-election  by  an  overwhelming  majority. 
I  shall  count  on  Dick's  support  over  a  Radical.  Am  I 
mistaken  in  this  ? 

Again  thanlving  you  for  your  letters  and  soliciting  fur- 
ther communications  and  advice  from  you — I  am 

Geeein^sboeo. 


To  B.  S.  Heclrich. 

Raleigh.  Sept.  6/66. 
The  petition  of  B.  L.  Pollings,  Forsythe,  forwarded  with 
my  recommendation  on  5  Jan.  last  has  been  overlooked, 
I  presume.      If  the  pardon  has  been  forw^arded,  it  has 

Vol.  2—8 


770  A'oKTIl     ("aKOL1>,A    lIlSTOlUCAL    COMMISSION. 

been   ]'><[   ill   transiiiitting'  to  him.      Please  try  to  get   it, 
aiifl   iiiiu'li  ol)lii>'('. 

W'ASIllXCiTON.     I).    C 


To  Jesse    Wlicclc): 

JIaleigu  Scpf.  7 til  ISGO. 
Poiitkai  uiiiturs.  \  wish  it  were  eoiiveiiieiit  for  me  to  have  a  personal 
conference  with  you.  It  is  represented  to  me,  not  liy 
memorial,  l>nt  l)y  friends  of  yonrs  that  your  office  is  the 
head  quarters  of  a  party  in  Guilford  seeking  to  bring 
al)out  op])osition  to  my  re-election  on  the  ground  that  my 
fidelity  to  the  Union  is  suspected  or  that  I  have  become 
affiliated  with  the  Secessionists.  It  surpasses  my  com- 
l)r('h(nsion  that  you  should  come  to  any  such  conclusion. 
If  there  be  any  thing  in  my  recent  course  at  variance  with 
the  abhorrence  which  I  have  always  felt  and  expressed  for 
Disunionists,  Xorth  and  South,  I  am  ignorant  of  it.  On 
the  question  of  Union  or  Disunion  I  always  have  agreed 
and  still  agree  with  the  President,  save  that  he  suffered 
expulsion  from  his  State  and  I  deemed  it  my  duty  to  sub- 
mit and  acquiese  when  almost  the  whole  peo])le  of  my 
State  took  sides  against  my  views. 

1  can  conceive  of  no  Union  worth  preserving,  if  kind- 
ness and  conciliation  and  mutual  forgiveness  and  oblivion 
of  the  ])ast  be  not  the  l>asis.  The  adoption  of  the  Con- 
stitutional auHndnient  which  you  are  represented  as 
favoring  which  declares  that  Wm.  A.  Graham,  Jno.  A. 
Gilmer,  Dick,  I).  U.  Caldwell,  Boyden  and  myself  and 
others  of  like  views  are  not  worthy  to  be  a  constable  in 
this  State,  while  the  bitterest  Secessionists  who  held  no 
office  before  the  war,  arc  deemed  eligible  to  any  position 
nndf  r  the  State  or  the  U.  S.  govt,  exhibits  malevolence 
and  not  conciliation.  I  regard  Stephens,  Sumner  and 
thfir  followers  as  malevolent  Disunionists,  and  the  Presi- 
dent and  his  followers  as  maganamimous  statesmen  and 
genuine  Union  men. 


CoKRESPOKDEA^CE    OF    JoAATIIAX    WoRTlI.  771 

I  api3reciate  and  acknowledge  yonr  personal  worth  and 
believe  all  your  actions  will  be  controlled  by  yonr  con- 
victions of  dnty,  bnt  we  are  very  far  from  concnrring  in 
judgment  if  yon  favor  the  plans  of  Stephens  and  Snmner 
in  preference  to  those  of  the  President.  I  hope  yonr 
views  have  been  misunderstood — and  if  so,  that  I  may 
receive  an  answer  to  this  letter  which  is  Avritten  in  the 
spirit  of  personal  friendship  which  has  always  existed 
between  us. 

[P.  S.]  I  am  officially  furnished,  from  an  authentic 
source,  with  a  copy  of  the  oath  Ijinding  together  a  secret 
organization  in  this  State,  but  my  infonuation  is  not  yet 
fully  satisfactory  as  to  all  the  purposes  they  have  in  view. 
While  the  present  judges  are  in  power  and  I  am  Governor, 
Union  men  and  all  other  men,  wdiite  or  black,  have  no 
need  to  resort  to  secret  organizations  under  pretence  that 
they  cannot  receive  protection  under  the  laws.  I  hear 
it  was  asserted  in  a  public  meeting  in  Guilford  a  few  days 
ago  that  I  would  not  give  an  imi^artial  hearing  to  the 
complaints  of  Union  men.  The  imputation  is  a  lie  and 
has  not  color  of  truth  in  it. 

Geeexsboro. 


From  WilJioDi  T.  Doricli.^ 

GoLDSBORO  Sept.  SfJi   ^60. 

I  have  the  pleasure  to  inform  you  that  I  have  received 
my  pardon,  and  tender  you  my  sincere  thanks  for  the  in- 
terest yon  have  taken  in  my  behalf.  I  suppose  you  are 
destined  to  have  radical   opposition.      I  hope   the  contest 


'  William  T.  Dortch,  of  Wayne,  was  one  of  the  most  prominent 
lawyers  in  the  State.  He  was  a  Democrat  and  had  been  a  member 
of  the  legislature  from  1852  to  1856,  and  from  1858  to  1861;  in  the- 
latter  term  he  was  Speaker  of  the  House.  In  1861  he  became  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Confederate  Senate. 


772 


XoRTH  Carolina  Historical  Commission. 


inny  not  be  mixed  up  with  State  issues,  so  that  your  oppo- 
sition niav  share  the  stn'iiath  of  the  rndieal  party  in  IST.  Ca. 


Endorsing 
Caldwoll. 


To  J  oil  a  A.  Gilmer. 

Coii/idcittiaJ. 

EaleigiI,  Sept.  Sth  ISGG. 

D.  F.  Caldwell  is  as  firmly  opposed  to  the  Radicals  as 
you  or  I.  Owing  to  his  being  for  Holden  in  1864,  he  has 
become  obnoxious  to  many  who  are  acting  with  us.  He 
is  sore  under  the  epithets  they  apply  to  him.  He  will  be 
a  most  useful  auxiliary  to  you  in  Guilford  in  fighting  the 
Radicals.  I  suggest  to  you  to  have  the  boys  treat  him 
courteously.  I  regard  him  as  an  ardent,  honest,  eccentric 
man — and  exerting  much  influence  among  those  of  radical 
l)roclivities. 

I  have  not  the  slightest  fear  that  the  Radicals  can  show 
much  head  in  the  State,  but  let  us  use  all  legitimate  means 
to  defeat  their  disgracing  us.  In  Randolph  and  Guilford 
I  think  their  members  are  not  despicable.  I  think  Cald- 
well can,  and  wall  do  much  to  Aveaken  them,  if  you  and  a 
few  others  will  manage  the  matter  as  you  can.  He  thinks 
he  is  abused  and  reviled  by  his  old  Whig  friends. 

I  fear  Jesse  Wheeler  is  using  his  influence  in  favor  of 
the  Radicals.  I  would  hope  not,  if  possible.  If  it  be  true, 
as  I  fear  it  is,  that  his  ofiice  is  the  head  quarters  of  these 
sneaks,  would  it  not  be  well  to  find  some  anti-radical 
Quaker,  (I  think  Sewell  Farlow  would  do)  and  have  him 
appointed  in  place  of  Wheeler  ? 

Greensboro.. 


To  Nereus  Mendenhall. 

Raleigh,  Sept.  10th  1866. 

Tourgees"speech         ^  ^^'^  ^"  ^^®  "^^^^  ^^^^  Herald  this  momiug  a  speech 
at  Philadelphia,     purporting  to  be  made  in  the  Southern  Radical  Conven- 


Correspondence  of  Jonathan  Worth.  773 

tion  by  one  Capt.  A.  W.  Tourgee,  who  is  stated  to  be  a 
delegate  from  IsTorth  Carolina,  who  I  hear  held  his  com- 
mission from  the  meeting  in  which  you  participated.  This 
speech  /  believe  to  be  a  tissue  of  lies  from  beginning  to  end 
and  one  of  his  statements  /  Jciioiv  is  a  lie.  He  says  "seven 
hundred  loyal  men  had  petitioned  Prest.  Johnson  for  re- 
dress from  the  rebel  depredations,  and  this  petition  was 
referred  back  to  the  disloyal  Govr.  of  that  State  and  came 
back  to  the  authorities  of  their  own  town."  This  state- 
ment is  a  lie.  He  says  in  a  further  statement  that  he  had 
recently  been  informed  by  a  Quaker,  that  he,  (the  Quaker) 
had  seen  fifteen  murdered  negroes  dragged  out  of  one 
pond.  He  ought  to  be  called  upon  to  give  the  name  of  his 
informant,  and  the  whereabouts  of  the  pond. 

Only  two  petitions  have  been  referred  to  me  by  the 
President.  One  was  signed  by  some  40  petitioners  from 
Camden  County.  They  owned  that  they  had  seiwed  in  the 
Jj.  S.  army  and  were  persecuted  by  numerous  indictments 
in  Camden  Court  for  acts  done  by  them  as  soldiers  and 
they  asked  for  protection.  I  sent  a  copy  of  the  petition 
to  D.  D.  Ferebee  delegate  in  the  Convention  from  Camden, 
and  to  Geo.  W.  Brooks,  district  judge  of  the  U.  S.  Court, 
both  residing  near  the  petitioners  and  requested  them  to 
inquire  into  the  facts  and  report  to  me.  They  severally 
reported  to  me  that  there  were  but  two  indictments  against 
any  of  the  petitioners — the  one  for  retailing  liquor  with- 
out a  license — the  other  for  fornication  and  adultery. — 

The  other  petition  referred  to  me  was  one  Ledford  and 
others,  charging  that  he  had  been  imprisoned  and  fined 
$100.  by  Judge  Merrimon :  that  he  had  been  a  U.  S.  sol- 
dier and  that  his  conviction  and  punishment  were  the  re- 
sult of  prejudice  against  him  on  account  of  services  as  a 
soldier  of  the  U.  S.  I  secured  the  certificate  of  the  judge 
and  of  the  lawyer  who  defended  the  petitioner,  (who  was  a 
Union  lawyer)  showing  that  his  offence  was  shooting 
twice  with  a  naval  pistol  at  the  head  of  an  inoffensive  and 
unoffending  man,  who  had  in  no  wise  given  occasion  to 


774  Xoirni    Cakoi.i.na   IIistoku'al   Com.missiox. 

{\n>.  ;iiiriii;>i  ii>  kill  liiui.  save  liaving  been  in  eoni])uny  with 
a  man  who  had  (|uarrel((l  Avith  the  petitioner. — 

Such  i^  the  \yi\\ix  villiau  and  ])iii'])()rtinii'  to  represent 
2()(i()  Xoith  Carolinians  in  a  ])retended  patriotic  conven- 
tion. I  iirieve  tliat  he  should  have  been  appointed  by  a 
respectable  set  of  men  in  Deep  River  Meeting  Honse. 

[P.  IS. J  —  In  the  briefer  detail  of  Tonrgec's  speech  given 
in  the  Tribune  he  is  represented  as  the  advocate  of  negro 
sntfrage  and  boastfully  claims  to  be  the  re})resentative  of 
2000  Union  nun  in  X.  C. — 

Xf.w    (jARDKX. 


To  I  he  Editor  of  tlic  Gictnshoro  Patriot. 

Ealeigh,  t<ei>t.   10/ GO. 
niscussiou  of  _^Iy  attention  is  called  to  Tourgee's.  speech  in  the  Phila. 

Toursee  s  speech  •  ~  J^ 

in  Philadelphia.  Radical  Convention  as  reported  in  the  Heratd  of  the  Sth 
advocating  negro  suffrage  and  boasting  that  he  represents 
2000  Tnion  men  in  X.  C.  He  says  "seven  hundred 
Union  men  had  petitioned  Prest.  Johnson  for  redress 
from  rebel  depredations,  and  the  petition  was  referred 
back  to  the  disloyal  (jovr.  of  that  State  and  came  back  to 
the  authorities  of  their  own  town."  This  is  a  lie  so  far 
as  it  is  ir.tcnded  to  a])])ly  to  nie.  The  only  petitions  re- 
ferred to  me  liy  the  Prest.  were  one  from  (/'amdon — the 
other  from  one  Ledford  and  others  in  the  Western  judicial 
Circuit,  Clay  County — There  were  46  names  on  the  Cam- 
den petition,  w^ho  set  forth  that  they  had  been  U.  S.  sol- 
diers that  on  their  return  home  they  were  wickedly  perse- 
cuted by  the  Courts,  being  indicted  for  every  petty  and 
trivial  offence  and  act  done  as  soldiers  of  the  U.  S.,  and  I 
requested  D.  D.  Ferebee,  of  Camden,  and  Geo.  W.  Brooks, 
of  Pasquotank,  who  is  district  judge  of  the  United  States, 
to  investigate  and  report  to  me.  They  severally  reported 
that  ((Illy  two  of  the  ]X'titioncrs  were  indicted  for  any 
offence — one  for  retailina-  withont  a  license  and  the  other 


Correspondence  oj^  Joxatiiax   WoirrH.  775 

for  fornication  and  adnltery,  I  will  inclose  yon  a  copy 
of  the  petition  as  a  specimen  of  ])athetic  clotpKiicr  in  he- 
half  of  persecnted  Union  men. — 

Ledford's  petition  endorsed  by  many  others,  represented 
that  he  too  had  been  a  U.  S.  soklier,  and  that  .iwinii'  to 
the  prejndice  growing  ont  of  this  fact,  he  had  been  in- 
dicted, convicted  and  crnelly  pnnished  by  Jndge  Merri- 
mon,  to-wit — fined  $100.  He  avers  that  he  Avas  defended 
l)v  a  Union  lawver  who  tohl  his  client  if  he  didn't  chars;? 
$50.  for  his  fee  the  jndge  said  the  fine  wonld  be  $200.  etc. 
I  referred  this  petition  to  jndge  Merrimon,  asking  him  to 
report  the  facts.  His  report  stated  that  the  oft'ence  of 
which  Ledford  was  convicted  was  shooting  a  naval  pistol 
twice  at  the  head  of  an  nnoifending  man,  who  saved  his 
life  only  by  dodging  and  who  had  offered  no  insult  or 
offence  to  the  defendant.  I  snbmitted  dndu'e  ^lerrinion's 
statements  to  Genl  Henry,  of  Macon,  whom  I  ascertained 
was  the  lawyer  who  defended  Ledford,  reqne sting  a  state- 
ment of  the  facts. — His  certificate  withont  snstaining  di- 
rectly or  denying  the  facts  as  stated  by  judge  Merrimon, 
declares  that  a  fair  scnitiny  into  the  condnct  of  the  jiulge, 
wonld,  in  his  opinion,  snstain  him  as  an  "im])artial  ofiicer." 

These  are  the  two  petitions  referred  to  me  Ijy  the  Prest. 

Tonrgee's  speech,  as  reporte<l  in  the  Trihtinc.  is  sub- 
stantially the  same. 

The  drift  and  object  is  that  a  Union  man  is  not  safe 
nnder  the  present  civil  authorities  of  the  State :  that  he 
had  very  recently  been  informed  by  a  Quaker  that  15  mur- 
dered negroes  had  been  drawn  out  of  a  pond,  or  as  re- 
ported in  the  Tribune,  out  of  a  River  in  S.  C. : — that  1200 
U.  S.  soldiers  who  had  settled  in  this  State  had  been 
forced  to  sacrifice  their  property  and  leave  the  Stat(>  be- 
eanse  neither  their  lives  or  their  property  was  safe  in  this 
State.  If  any  one  Union  soldier,  who  has  behaved  him- 
self w^ith  civility,  has  been  inhospitably  treated  and  com- 
pelled to  leave  the  State,  it  has  not  come  to  my  kn  >wledge. 
I   think   the   sentence   contains    1200    lies. — I    thiid-:    vou 


776  XoRTH  Carolina  Historical  Commission. 

shuiild  demand  of  him  the  names  of  a  few  of  the  1200 — 
and  the  name  of  the  Quaker  who  informed  him  about  the 
drowned  negroes  and  the  location  of  the  Pond  or  River 
where  they  Avere  drowned. — As  Tourgee  claims  to  be  the 
representative  of  2000  Union  men  in  jST.  C  and  to  be  their 
mouth-piece  and  rej^resents  the  civil  authorities  of  the 
State  as  corrupt  monsters  countenancing  the  denial  of  jus- 
tice to  Union  men  and  as  the  representative  of  2000 
I'nion  men  in  this  State,  demands  the  right  of  suffrage 
to  tlio  negToes  and  if  practicable  the  disfranchisement  of 
nearly  the  whole  of  the  white  population,  and  as  he  hails 
from  Guilford  and  has  spread  this  speech  throughout  the 
Xation  to  make  the  Xorth  hate  us,  you  ought  to  call  a 
mass  meeting  of  the  County  and  invite  him  and  his  fol- 
lowers to  be  present  to  vindicate  his  facts. — This  speech 
will  do  much  to  prejudice  X.  C.  and  the  Prest.,  if  not 
counter-acted  by  some  efficient  means. 

I  throw  out  these  hastily  ^^Titten  suggestions  for  your 
consideration. — ISTereus  Mendenhall,  Jonathan  Harris  and 
other  Quakers  ought  to  attend  and  disabuse  themselves  and 
the  Quakers  from  endorsing  his  iniquitous  lies.  All  other 
respectable  men  who  participated  in  sending  him  to  Phil  a. 
as  ther  representative,  ought  to  denounce  him. 

While  I  would  avoid  no  responsibility  as  to  the  facts  and 
views  herein  stated  I  wonld  deem  it  unbecoming  the  dig- 
nity of  my  station  to  be  brought  into  personal  controversy 
with  this  vile  wretch  Tourgee.  In  relation  to  the  matter 
about  petitions  you  may  say  you  are  authorised  to  say  the 
facts  are  as  herein  stated.  As  to  the  petition  referred  to 
me  by  the  Prest.,  malice  itself  cannot  pretend  that  I  have 
not  acted  fairly  towards  them  and  sought  to  extend  them 
and  all  others,  whatever  their  politics  or  color,  the  full 
]irf»tection  of  the  laws — and  if  there  be  a  single  instance  in 
the  State  where  a  judge  or  solicitor  has  not  discharged  his 
duty  as  became  an  honest,  impartial  and  capable  officer, 
T  have  not  heard  of  it. 


COKRESPOXDEXCE    OF    Jo:S^ATHAN    WoRTH.  777 

To  John  A.  Gilmer. 

Raleigh  Sep.  11/66. 
After  writing  tlie  above  I  conclude  it  is  inexpedient  to 
risk  the  possibility  of  being  drawn  into  a  controversy  with 
this  contemptible  Tonrgee — I  am  persuaded  the  facts  fur- 
nish material  for  a  suitable  article  for  the  Patriot. — I 
commit  it  to  your  discretion.  I  am  concerned  lest  the 
Quakers  have  made  this  Tourji'ee  their  leader. 


To  Joseph  D.  Simmons. 

Ealeigh,  Sep.  12  1S66. 

Your  letter  of  the  10th  inst.  is  received  in  which  you  Relating  to  labor 
complain  that  certain  negroes  with  whom  you  had  entered 
into  a  contract  last  January  for  the  cultivation  of  your 
farm  have  not  fulfilled  their  pait  of  the  contract. 

On  the  13th  July  last  Genl  Robinson  issued  an  order 
whereby  all  matters  of  controversy  between  white  men 
and  Freedmen  are  turned  over  to  the  civil  Courts,  except- 
ing "claims  for  wages,  approved  or  issued  by  officers  of  the 
Freedman's  Bureau." 

Whether  your  contract  with  these  negroes  was  witnessed 
or  approved  by  an  officer  of  said  Bureau,  does  not  appear, 
but  even  assuming  that  it  was  so  witnessed  or  approved,  it 
does  not  appear  to  have  been  a  contract  for  wages, — and 
is  consequently  a  contract  falling  within  the  jurisdiction 
of  the  civil  Courts. 

If  your  contract  was  not  witnessed  or  approved  by  an 
officer  of  the  Freedman's  Bureau,  Col.  Weigel  had  no 
jurisdiction  over  it,  at  the  time  he  interposed,  which  inter- 
ference, as  I  understand  your  letter,  was  after  the  23rd 
July.     You  do  not  give  the  date  of  his  interference. 

It  follows  that  you  stand  where  you  would  have  stood 
in  times  before  the  war.     It  is  a  matter  of  controversy  as 


XoRTil    CaKOI.INA     II  ISToKMCAL    (  "oM  .\1  ISSIOX. 

to  II  cnutract,  and  imisr  l)t'  settled,  as  of  old,  bv  the  (Courts 
— if  _vo\i  caiiiiot  settle  it  liy  inntual  arrauiiciuent  or  arbi- 
tration. 

I  l)(dieve  (leid  Kobinsoii  will  carry  out  his  order  afore- 
said ill  ii'ood  faith — and  will  not  sustain  his  subordinates 
in  any  action  at  variance  with  it.  Your  (jiiestion,  there- 
fore, is  a  purely  leaal  one. 

I  deem  it  of  ])nblic  iiii|iortaiice  that  our  ])eo])le  ami  the 
civil  authorities  shall  not  only  act  justly  to  the  negroes, 
which  T  do  not  doubt  you  ha\-e  doru\  but  that  there  shall 
be  no  colorable  ground  to  ini])ute  a  want  of  regard  to  tlu' 
rights  of  the  negro  under  his  new  relations  to  us;  and  T 
therefore  highly  approve  of  your  generous  suggestion  to 
consent  to  an  adjustment  of  this  controversy  by  arbitration, 
if  the  negroes  will  assent  to  it. 

As  to  your  ai^iirehensions  from  the  threats  of  one  of 
these  negroes,  there  is  no  legal  remedy  save  by  peace 
warrant. 

I  do  not  refer  this  special  case  to  Geiil  Robinson,  be- 
cause his  general  orders  fnlly  cover  it,  and  he  would 
])rol)ably  deem  the  reference  micalled  for. 

With  this  general  explanation  and  the  advice  of  a  judi- 
cious lawyer,  I  hope  you  may  be  relieved  from  any  further 
serious  annoyance. 

Tar  BOKO. 


To  B.  S.  Hedvich. 

Raleigh  Sept.   12  1800. 
Politics  in  North         T  thank  V(ni  for  vour  ])r(»nM)t  attention  to  the  correction 

Carolina.  ,■     i    ,  •  \  i ' 

(jf  .Vtkinson  s  pardon. 

I  would  have  preferred  [page  font  for  ra^i  of  Jlnc^  had 
not  assailed  A.  IL  Jones,  prior  to  his  participation  in  tlie 
late  Phila.  Convention,  and  even  as  to  this  T  know  noth- 
ing as  to  the  ])art  he  took.  If  he  approved,  as  [  fear  he 
did,  the  resolutions  and  address  ado]ited  at  the  conelusii  n. 


Corkesponde:\tce  of  Joxathax  Wokth.  779 

Avliieli  lU'gcs,  for  the  reason  there  assigned,  negro  -uli'rage 
and  tlie  adoption  by  this  iState  of  the  Howard  amend. iiieiit 
to  the  Constitntion  and  the  spirit  of  the  proceedings  of 
that  hody,  evidently  showing  that  j)arty  ascendency  and 
the  natnre  of  the  political  hatred,  and  not  a  complete  resto- 
ration of  the  Union  on  the  basis  of  mntiial  contidence  and 
kindness  between  the  sections,  thns  then  he  can  have  no 
sympathy  or  respect  from  me.  I  had  been  disposed  to  re- 
gard him  as  a  man  of  good  intentions.  If  he  concurred  in 
the  action  or  spirit  of  that  Convention  my  views  of  hini 
will  be  totally  altered. 

Mr.  Pell  has  repeatedly  declared  in  his  paper,  that  I 
am  to  be  held  responsible  for  nothing  appearing  in  the 
Sentinel,  not  appearing  over  my  name  or  declared  to  be 
published  by  my  authority.  He  is  personally  and  politi- 
cally my  friend,  and  I  generally  approve  his  articles  ex- 
cepting what  seems  to  me  to  be  injurious  asperity  to  the 
Tied  Strings  (among  whom  there  are  many  good  men) 
and  undue  commendation  of  the  leaders  in  the  Rebellion. 
They  are  now  subdued, — in  a  snuill  minority  and  likely 
to  renmin  in  the  minority  if  not  persecuted  into  popularity. 
Most  of  them — all  of  them  so  far  as  I  know,  desire  to  sub- 
mit to  and  obey  the  laws.  Xo  reasonable  man  could  ex- 
pect that  recent  hatred  to  their  late  foeman  should  be  con- 
rerted  into  love  as  the  result  of  being  concpiered.  Only 
the  basest  and  least  desirable  of  them  pretend  to  such 
love.  But  enough  of  this.  I  am  now  as  I  always  have 
been  ardently  for  the  Union,  and  I  believe  there  were 
never  any  measures  proposed  in  this  country  better  cal- 
culated to  keep  up  sectional  hate  and  Disunion  than  those 
advocated  by  the  Radicals,  iSTorth  and  South. 

The  Holdenites  in  Xewbern  headed  by  W.  R.  Thomas 
and  E.  R.  Stanley  lately  got  up  a  meeting  and  directed 
their  chnm.  Thomas  to  appoint  delegates  to  meet  others  here 
on  the  20th  inst  to  bring  out  some  "unmistakably  loyal 
man"  as  a  Candidate  for  Govr.  Holden  has  had  circulars 
];rinted  and  sent  out  over  the  State  to  get  his  friends  here 


780  North  Carolina  Histvrical  Commission. 

and  bring-  out  opposition  to  me. — It  will  either  be  a  total 
failure — or  if  they  nominate  a  man  who  will  accept  the 
nomination  the  nouiinee  will  not  receive  a  respectable  sup- 
port, A  number  of  the  persons  nominated  by  Thomas,  as 
delegates,  among  them  the  mayor  of  the  town,  are  out  in 
cards  declining  to  serve  and  expressing  their  disapproba- 
tion of  the  object.  Public  opinion  is  so  settled  down  that 
no  body  opposing  me  under  the  auspices  of  Holden  or  his 
followers  can  stand  the  slightest  chance  of  success. 
Washington,  D.  C. 


To  A.  M.  Toml'inson. 

Raleigh,  Sep.  13  1866. 
Condemnation  of        Your  letter  of  the  10th  inst,  is  received  and  is  truly  re- 

the  ne\vspai)ers.         „       ,  .  „  ,  ,  ^    .    .       . 

ireshmg  to  nie.  ±rom  the  bottom  ot  my  heart  1  join  m 
every  sentiment  in  it.  I  abominate  the  journalism  of  the 
times.  I  am  responsible  for  nothing  save  what  appears 
over  my  ovax  signature,  I  have  no  organ — never  have  pre- 
tended to  have.  jS^o  paper  has  pretended  to  claim  to  be 
my  organ.  The  Sentinel  has  repeatedly  declared  I  was 
not  to  be  held  responsible  for  any  thing  in  his  paper  not 
over  my  signature  or  declared  to  be  published  by  my 
authority.  In  spite  of  this  every  issue  of  the  Standard 
speaks  of  my  organ. 

The  Quakers  ought  to  hold  themselves  aloof  from  the 
bitterness  of  wicked  partisans  of  all  sorts.  If  any  of  them 
think  my  opponent,  if  I  have  any,  a  better  Union  man, 
and  better  calculated  to  bring  about  the  quiet  which  all 
genuine  Quakers  desire,  they  ought  to  carry  out  their  views 
at  the  ballot  box — but  they  will  greatly  err  in  joining  in 
political  meetings  headed  by  such  men  as  Tourgee.  The 
statement  in  his  published  Phila.  speech  in  reference  to 
me  is  a  lie,  as  I  l^lieve  all  the  pretended  facts  he  states 
intended  to  make  the  Xorth  hate  the  South. 

Bush  Hill. 


COREESPONDENCE    OF    JONATHAN    WoRTH.  781 

To  Dr.  J.  G.  Pk,amsey. 

Raleigh  Sep.  13  ISGO. 

I  am  invited  by  the  Prest  of  the  A  &  C.  Canal,  together 
with  my  board  of  Internal  Improvement,  to  make  an  ex- 
cursion over  this  Canal  to  N^orfolk — and  if  we  desire  it  to 
Xag's  Head — Would  you  like  to  make  the  trip  ?  We 
must  hold  a  meeting  to  appoint  Directors  for  the  Wil.  & 
W.  E.  E.  in  the  latter  part  of  Oct.  I  propose  that  you 
meet  me  here  on  Tuesday  morning  Oct.  23  to  go  by  the 
next  train  on  the  E.  &  G.  E.  E.  and  join  W^inston  at  such 
point  as  he  may  designate.  If  this  should  not  suit  you  I 
will  appoint  a  day  about  that  time  for  Mr.  W.  to  meet  us 
here  and  appoint  Directors.  An  early  answer  is  desired 
that  I  may  consult  with  Mr.  W. 

I  now  deem  it  probable  that  the  Eadicals  will  run  Logan 
against  me. 

Salisbury. 


From  B.  8.  Hedriclv. 

Washington,  D.  C.  Sep.  16,  66. 

I  received  several  days  ago  yours  of  the  12th  but  have  Djgcussion  of  pout- 
had  no  time  to  reply.  There  was  but  little  of  the  late 
Phil.  Convention  that  was  southern,  and  in  some  sense 
the  same  may  be  said  of  both  the  Philadelphia  Conven- 
tions. The  fact  is  the  South  has  got  to  fill  second  place 
all  the  time,  until  she  has  set  herself  in  harmony  with  the 
great  mass  of  the  people  who  put  down  the  rebellion.  Peo- 
ple do  not  fight  a  great  war  through  and  then  forget  it 
next  day  or  next  year.  So  far  as  the  Southern  delegates 
had  anything  to  do  with  the  general  management  of  the 
Eandall  Convention,  they  had  just  as  well  telegraph  their 
approval  or  send  it  by  mail  in  advance,  and  so  far  as  nine 
tenths  of  the  delegates  to  the  Hamilton  Convention  are 


782  XoIv'TII     C.VKOHNA     Ill.STORICAL    (  "oM  MISSIOX. 

concenied,  they  might  just  as  well  have  staid  at  home. 
There  were  a  few  good  honest  men,  men  of  ideas  and 
thought  for  the  South  in  this  last  Convention,  but  they 
were  so  lured  by  men  who  were  oidy  thinking  of  how  to 
carry  the  Fall  elections  in  the  Xorth,  that  they  were  not 
felt.  1  think  spirit  manifested  by  the  leading  Southern 
newspajurs  toward  both  conventions  has  had  more  effect  in 
hel})ing  the  extreme  radicals  than  anything  the  radicals 
could  do  for  themselves.  The  Scnt'mrl  managed  to  swal- 
low the  loyal  platform  and  resolutions  of  the  Randall  C(m- 
vention  and  only  put  in  a  mild  protest  as  to  what  it  would 
do  as  ''full  Southern,"  but  the  papers  in  Va.  and  the  rest 
of  the  South  came  right  out  and  denounced  the  i)latform 
as  not  binding  on  them.  The  Hamilton  Convention  gets 
UK. re  in.in  half  its  influence  from  venomous  denunciation 
of  Southern  editors,  Mr.  Pell  among  others.  "Yankee"  he 
describes  the  most  opprobrious  epithet  in  the  Dictionary, 
and  even  the  ''dead  dog  of  abolition"  has  to  be  stirred 
again.  The  thinking  men  of  the  Xorth  will  be  more  in- 
fluenced to  doubt  the  loyalty  of  the  South  l)y  looking  at  the 
editorials  of  the  Southern  editors  on  Hamilton  and  Brown- 
low  Convention,  than  they  will  be  by  the  proceedings  of 
the  mere  handful  of  men  calling  themselves  delegates  from 
the  South.  In  Republican  Govt,  there  must  always  be 
two  ])arties.  But  so  far  public  opinion  in  the  Xorth  has 
not  shown  what  j^arties  there  are.  Certainly  there  cannot 
said  to  be  two  parties  there,  and  I  judge  that  there  will 
not  be  for  some  time.  The  conditions  of  things  in  the 
South  creates  a  good  deal  of  apprehension  with  men  at 
the  Xorth  who  are  not  politicians.  The  amount  of  violence 
they  say  is  no  greater  than  might  be  expected  under  the 
circumstances.  But  what  astonishes  them  is  that  the  au- 
thoi'ities  seem  to  have  no  ])Ower  or  dis])osition  to  ])unish 
the  lawless,  (^nite  a  uinul)er  of  the  most  bi'iitil  murders 
have  been  recently  committed  in  Va.  Ky.,  and  Ala.  and 
so  far  no  ste]-)s  taken  by  the  local  authorities  to  punish 
the  felons.     A  riot  is  likely  to  happeu  in  the  best  governed 


Correspondence  op^  Jonathan    ^^'()I;■l'II.  7(S3 

comniiiniries,  and  so  of  the  foulest  murders,  but  no  siudi 
as  this  Xew  (Orleans  affair  could  occur  in  the  Xorth  with- 
out some  steps  being  taken  to  punish  the  giiilty.  It  looks 
as  if  the  law  abiding  people  of  the  South  were  again 
seized  with  the  same  apathy  Avhich  possessed  them  in  1801, 
when  they  permitted  violent,  but  lawless  mobs  to  overturn 
the  State  Govts  of  most  of  the  Southern  States  again  the 
known  and  expressed  wishes  of  the  majority.  I  think  that 
the  domestic  condition  of  X.  C.  is  as  good  as  that  of  any 
Southern  State.  I  think  it  is  better.  The  failure  of  the 
crops  in  some  portions  of  the  State  will  set  things  back, 
and  drive  away  population.  But  for  that  I  think  the  State 
would  be  in  a  fair  way  to  regain  a  state  of  peace  aud  quiet. 

I  have  not  seen  A,  11.  Jones  since  last  spring,  or  rather 
winter.  But  I  understand  that  there  is  a  good  deal  ol  vio- 
lence abroad  in  the  mountain  counties,  and  union  meii 
are  really  apprehensive  for  their  lives.  I  have  not  suffi- 
cient means  to  know  the  truth  of  the  matter,  but  there 
must  be  some  grounds  for  the  repeated  complaints  of  the 
union  men  of  that  region.  Holden  is  doing  all  he  can  to 
kee])  up  the  strife,  hoping  to  make  cat-paws  of  the  union 
men  of  the  West,  to  pull  his  chestnuts  out  of  the  fire  and 
unfortunately  Mr.  Pell  asserts  Holden  is  keeping  up  a 
ba<l  spirit.  I  am  doing  what  I  can  to  check  mate  Holden's 
schemes,  but  Holden  by  laying  dark  so  long,  nothing  can 
be  done  with  certainty.  As  soon  as  I  know  who  Holden's 
candidate  is  to  be  I  can  tell  pretty  closely  what  he  can  do. 
Just  now  he  is  playing  off  Gen.  Dockery  as  the  man  to 
l)eat  you,  but  I  have  no  idea  who  is  to  be  his  candidate.  I 
hoi)e  that  Lewis  Hanes  will  keep  up  his  paper  at  least  till 
after  the  election  is  over.  A  few  good  writers  in  his  paper 
could  do  much  to  enlighten  public  opinion.  Mr.  Pell 
should  read  his  own  paper  of  last  year  and  see  what  was 
his  platform  then  and  in  what  he  succeeded. 

Since  the  Maine  election,  the  X.  Y.  Herald  has  an- 
nounced in  its  usual  way  that  the  contest  in  the  Xorth  is 
to  result  in  favor  of  the  Pepublicans.     That  must  l)o  the 


784  ^'ouTii  Cakoi>ixa  Histoiucal  Commission. 

case,  unless  the  Republican  party  divides.  ISLy  own  notion 
is  that  the  South  had  better  have  kept  free  from  entangling 
alliances  with  the  copper-heads  of  the  !N"orth.  Many  of 
the  Rej^ublican  politicians  are  just  as  big  scamps  as  are 
to  be  found,  but  the  sober  industrious  marrow  of  the 
Xorth  will  never  vote  for  a  copperhead.  Th  South  will 
gain  nothing  by  fighting  the  battles  of  defeated  Northern 
demagogues. 

The  Howard  Amendment  will  be  ratified  by  all  the 
Xorthem  States  this  winter,  ITew  Jersey  having  taken  the 
lead.  If  the  South  will  act  reasonably  the  next  Congress 
will  act  more  liberally  toward  the  South  than  the  last  did, 
for  there  will  be  quite  a  number  of  ne^v  men  in  it,  and 
the  approach  of  the  next  Presidential  election  will  make  all 
anxious  to  settle  the  question  of  reconstruction  on  the  best 
prudent  terms,  and  so  Andrew  Johnson  will  succeed  in 
his  main  design  of  finishing  reconstruction  during  his 
term  of  office. 

I  note  that  Mr.  Pell  says  in  his  paper  by  implication 
that  the  Howard  Amendment  disfrancliises  the  mass  of 
the  Southern  people.  ISTow  he  must  have  known  that  such 
is  not  the  fact.  The  two  things  that  the  South  as  a  section 
will  oppose  is  the  cutting  down  of  re23resentatives  to  the 
voting  or  white  basis,  and  the  disqualification  of  certain 
men  for  office.  The  latter  feature  is  the  only  one  that 
looks  like  punishment  and  which  will  in  no  way  benefit 
the  North.  Of  course  the  South  will  not  like  to  have  the 
number  of  its  representation  diminished,  neither  will  the 
North.  But  one  or  the  other  has  to  yield.  If  the  basis 
is  not  changed  the  North  will  lose  ten  or  twelve  members 
by  the  freeing  of  the  negroes,  and  if  it  is  changed  the 
South  will  lose  fifteen  or  twenty.  This  is  on  the  suj)po- 
sition  that  the  question  of  negro  suffrage  is  entirely  ig- 
nored. As  a  section  this  matter  of  representation  is  the 
only  one  that  the  North  will  be  strenuous  for,  and  when 
it  comes  to  the  pinch  all  parties  North  will  go  for  having 
as  much  favor  as  they  can  get,  and  all  parties  South  will 


COKRESPONDENCE    OF    JoJN'ATHAN    WoKTH.  785 

do  the  same  thing.  It  was  for  that  reason  that  the  North- 
ern men  in  Congress  were  not  willing  to  admit  even  loyal 
men  from  the  South  till  they  got  the  basis  changed.  Sel- 
fishness and  sectionalism  are  as  a  general  thing  the  rule. 


To  A.  V.  Sullivan. 

Raleigh  Sep.  17  18 GO. 

I  ordered  a  bbl  of  whiskey  from  my  friend  ]^.  Williams 
a  few  days  ago.  It  has  come  to  hand  36^  gals,  cost,  to  my 
dismay,  $182.50.  I  am  requested  to  send  the  money  to 
you  to  be  forwarded.  I  send  enclosed  $100. — Will  remit 
bal.  as  soon  as  I  can  get  it.  I  had  no  idea  that  it  would 
cost  so  much.  I  must  dispense  with  so  much  expenditure 
on  indulgence  until  I  have  an  income  equal  to  my  ex- 
penses. I  hope  at  the  end  of  this  quarter — 1  Oct.  I  may 
be  able  to  pay  the  balance. 

Do  those  who  sent  Tourgee  to  Phila.  recognise  him  as 
correctly  representing  their  views  ? 

High  Point. 


To  B.  S.  Hedrich. 

Raleigh  Sep.  18/66. 
There  is  one  portion  in  your  letter  "just  received  in  which  Relating  to  union 

_  ,  .  men  in  North 

I  am  sure  you  are  mistaken ;  to-wit  that  Union  men  have  Carolina, 
just  cause  of  complaint  as  to  the  administration  of  justice 
in  the  Western  part  of  this  State.  The  larger  portion  of 
my  time  for  a  month  past  has  been  devoted  to  investiga- 
tions of  this  character.  In  every  instance  which  I  have 
investigated  it  has  proved  to  be  a  fake  clamor  on  the  part 
of  bad  men.  True — honest  men  do  not  as  a  general  rule, 
join  in  these  clamors.  They  spring  from  those  passions 
which  have  led  them  to  commit    breaches    of  the    peace. 

Vol.  2—9 


786  ;N^orth  Carolina  Historical  Commission. 

They  come  from  ultra  Union  counties,  where  severity  in 
enforcing  the  Conscription  act  naturally  engendered  bad 
passions  and  1('<1  to  retaliation  after  the  close  of  hostilities. 

I  do  not  believe  justice  to  white  and  black,  rich  and 
poor — to  all  men  was  ever  more  impartially  administered 
immediately  after  such  a  convulsion  as  we  have  just  passed 
through,  than  it  is  in  this  State.  Ever  lover  of  N^.  C.  and 
of  justice,  has  reason  to  be  proud  of  our  Judiciary. 

At  my  si)ecial  request  the  judges  dwell  in  their  charges 
in  every  County  upon  the  duty  of  inferior  officers  and  all 
our  people,  seeing  that  justice  is  impartially  done  to  the 
negro.  Through  these  charges  the  popular  ear  is  more 
efficiently  reached  than  in  any  other  mamier.  If  the  truth 
were  known,  all  good  men  at  the  I^orth  would  respect  and 
honor  us — but  Tourgee  and  other  like  villians,  by  a  con- 
tinual stream  of  slander,  lead  many  to  think  where  there 
is  so  much  smoke  there  must  be  some  fire. 

Washington,  D.  C. 


To   Willidin   J.    Wilson. 

Ealeigh,  Sep.  18/66. 

Yours  of  the  4th  inst  received  here  today.  It  had  no 
post-mark.  If  my  answer  shall  be  as  slow  in  reaching  you 
it  will  be  of  little  value.  There  is  no  statute  so  far  as  I 
can  remember  or  find,  which  confers  on  the  Executive  any 
right  to  take  steps  for  procuring  the  right  of  way  for  the 
extension  of  the  W.  N".  R.  R.  to  a  connection  with  the 
Tenn.  or  Ga  roads.  This  power,  I  j^resumc,  the  Directors 
may  exercise — and  as  they  all  favor  the  extension  of  the 
road  as  fast  as  possible  there  will  be  no  doubt  out  as  soon 
as  they  deem  it  expedient. 

I  have  ever  voted  in  favor  of  every  measure  your  rep- 
resentatives have  recommended,  tending  to  furnish  to  your 
delightful  country  an  out-let  to  market  and  whatever  posi- 


COKRESPONDENCE    OF    JoNATHA:^    WoRTH.  787 

tioii  I  may  occupy  will  favor  any  practical  measure  to  ex- 
tend the  road  from  Morganton  West  with  as  little  delay  as 
possible. 

I  voted  and  urged  others  to  vote  for  the  ratification  of 
the  proposed  amendments  to  our  Constitution  and  regret 
that  the  result  of  the  election  was  for  rejection. 

I  congratulate  you  on  the  acquisition  of  a  good  wife  as 
do  all  my  family. 

I  hope  you  and  my  friend  Keener  will  be  here  this  fall 
as  representatives  of  a  people  you  have  so  faithfully  rep- 
resented heretofore. 

I  now  think  I  shall  have  no  opposition.  The  Eadicals 
are  trying  to  get  up  opposition — but  such  opposition  would 
be  nominal. 

Forks  of  Pigeox,  Haywood  Co. 


From  A.  V.  Sullivan. 
High  Point,  X.  C.  Sep.  19th  1866. 

Yours  of  the  iTth  inst  covering  a  remittance  of  One 
Hundred  Dollars  received  yesterday  per  Express.  Amt. 
placed  to  the  credit  of  IST.  Williams.  Will  repeat  to  him 
your  explanation. 

I  confess  Governor  I  am  at  a  loss  in  attempting  to  an-  Politics, 
swer  your  question  as    to  the  views  and    objects  of    the 
Tourgeeites.     They  will  assemble    in  Raleigh    tomorrow 
and  will  doubtless  give  expression  to  their  patriotic  feel- 
ings and  objects  through  the  medium  of  the  Standard. 

I  have  been  quite  busy  for  some  weeks  past  and  have 
not  had  an  opportunity  for  mixing  with  the  sovereigns 
much.  In  fact  the  red  string  men  of  this  County  are  not 
very  communicative  with  me  and  I  entirely  reciprocate 
their  manifestations  of  indifference. 

I  can  understand  how  and  why  it  is  that  an  African 
sympathizes  with  his  race  and  color  and  I  think  I  have 


788  Xoirrii  Oakolixa  IIistukicat.  Commission. 

sonic  idea  of  Christian  philanthropy  which  takes  in  all 
crtatod  liuiiiaii  beings. 

But  this  new  fanglcd  idea  of  worshipping  the  negro, 
and  denouncing  and  prosecuting  native  born  straight 
haired  citizens,  I  cannot  exactly  understand. 

I  know  this,  Governor,  you  course  is  approved  by  nine 
tenths  of  the  honest  and  intelligent  men  within  the  limits 
of  my  acquaintance,  but  the  wire  working  demagogiies  are 
against  you.  They  want  office,  the^^  are  for  repudiation, 
and  they  are  for  a  general  distribution  of  effects. 

To  make  a  good  government  (in  my  humble  judgment — 
there  is  two  ingredients,  which  they  are  sadly  in  want  of, 
that  is  moral  honesty  and  brains. 

I  hope  you  will  pardon  me  for  this  blunt  expression  of 
mv  humble  notions. 


To  Henry  T.  Clark. 

Raleigh,  Sep.  21/66. 

Yours  of  the  12th  inst.  postmarked  21st  is  received.  I 
will  inclose  it  tomorrow  to  the  Prest,  with  this  endorse- 
ment. ''I  have  long  known  Gov,  Clark,  and  though  differ- 
ing from  him  on  national  politics,  I  have  always  regard 
him  as  'the  noblest  work  of  God,'  an  honest  man.  I  have 
no  doubt  of  his  loyalty  and  I  earnestly  recommend  that  his 
pardon  be  granted." 

I  regret  that  heavy  pressure  of  business  denies  me  the 
opportunity  to  answer  at  length  your  friendly  letter. 

You  will  have  seen  that  Holden  and  a  handful  of  his 
devoted  followers,  yesterday  nominated  Genl  Dockery  to 
run  as  my  opponent  on  Howard  amendment  platform.  I 
understand  H.  told  his  friends  that  he  had  positive  as- 
surance that  the  Genl  would  accept  the  nomination.  It 
amazed  me  that  any  JSTorth  Carolinian  should  favor  the 
ratification  of  that  amendment. 

I  hope  this  movement  will  awaken  some  interest  in  the 
election. 


Correspondence  of  Jonathan  Worth.  789 

I  shall  call  a  meeting  of  my  board  of  Internal  Improve- 
ment about  the  20th  of  this  month.  Send  me  a  com- 
munication explaining  the  R.  R.  mismanagement  to  which 
jou  refer. 

I  send  JOU  bv  mail  a  package  containing  1000  of  mj 
tickets.  Please  have  them  distributed  to  the  precincts  of 
your  County.  I  also  send  you  another  package  for  the 
County  of  Wilson.  Please  do  me  the  favor  to  put  them  in 
the  hands  of  some  friend  who  will  attend  to  their  distri- 
bution. 

Tarboro. 


To  C.  C.   Clail^. 

Raleigh  Sep.  21/66. 
I  send  you  by  mail  a  package  containine;  1000  of  my  The  opposition 

'J  'Z  ,        .  Convention. 

tickets  and  ask  you  to  have  them  distributed  to  the  pre- 
cincts of  your  County, 

The  Holden  Convention  of  yesterday,  in  which  it  is  pre- 
tended some  S  counties  were  represented,  was  a  truly  small 
affair.  Holden  asked  for  the  Commons  Hall  for  their  sit- 
ting a  day  or  two  before  the  meeting.  We  granted  the  re- 
quest without  hesitation.  They  did  not  choose  to  make  a 
public  demonstration  of  their  weakness  so  assembled  in 
Ilolden's  office  and  declared  that  the  people  of  iNT.  C.  ought 
to  adopt  the  Howard  amendment  and  asked  Genl  A.  S. 
Dockery  [illegible]  whether  he  wished  to  be  chief  execu- 
tive of  the  State  by  standing  on  that  platform.  The  essen- 
tial delegation  was  from  l^ewbern — ^The  next  largest  I 
hear  from  Wake— all  of  these  self-appointed.  !N^o  public 
meeting,  so  far  as  I  have  heard,  nominated  any  delegate 
in  this  County.  I  have  not  heard  of  a  meeting  in  Car- 
teret and  know  nothing  of  the  delegates  [^illegible']  I  have 
heard  of  no  meeting  in  Alamance,  Davidson  or  Davie. 

I  do  not  believe  that  Thompson  or  Dick  wrote  a  letter 
recommending  the  adoption  of  the  Howard  amendment. 


790  XoRTir  Carolixa  Historical  Commission. 

I  will  hv  glad  to  hear  from  you.  The  ball  against  me 
seems  to  have  been  put  in  motion  in  Craven  but  I  sup- 
pose a  candidate  on  the  Howard  amendment  platform,  can 
receive  few  votes  in  Craven.  It  is  amazing  to  me  that 
any  Xorth  Carolinian  can  favor  the  ratification  of  this 
amendment. 

Xew  Berx. 


To  Judge  D.  F.  Caldwell. 

Raleigh  Sep.  21   1866. 

Yours  of  the  20th  iiist.  acknowledging  receipt  of  your 
pardon  has  been  reed.  You  explain  why  you  did  not 
sooner  acknowledge  the  receipt  of  the  same  and  say  that 
you  are  ''reminded  of  your  neglect  by  Mr.  Battle's  letter 
and  now  fulfill  it." 

Inclosed  I  find  a  $5.  bill.  This  is  an  enigma  to  me.  I 
have  sent  to  Kemp  Battle  and  Kich  Battle.  Neither  of 
them  understand  it.  I  suppose  the  money  was  intended 
for  some  other  letter  and  inclosed  in  the  one  to  me  by  mis- 
take.    I  return  it  herein. 

It  is  truly  hard  as  you  say  that  you  should  have  to  pay 
the  expenses  of  war  you  always  sought  to  avert.  It  is  one 
of  the  common  sequents  of  Civil  War.  ISTo  one  struggled 
more  persistently  than  I  to  avert  it  and  I  like  you  have 
lost  much  of  the  earnings  of  my  life. 
The  opposition  The  meeting  yesterday  was  too  small    to  assume    the 

Convention.  o    ./  t. 

name  of  a  Convention.  ~Mr.  Holden  had  obtained  the  con- 
sent of  the  oflFicers  of  the  Capitol  that  his  Convention  might 
sit  in  the  Commons  Hall.  Their  numbers  proved  to  be  so 
small  that  they  did  not  deem  it  expedient  to  sit  in  Com- 
mons Hall,  or  to  assume  the  name  of  a  Convention.  They 
met  in  Holden's  olfice  and  nominated  Genl  Dockery  on  the 
platform  of  the  Howard  amendment  and  sent  young  Logan 
to  his  residence  to  see  whether  he  would  accept.  We  shall 
see. — 


CoRKESPONDENCE    OF    JoZ^ATHAN    WoRTH.  791 

Holden  is  out  in  a  long  address  to  the  people  in  further- 
ence  of  his  object. 
Salisbury. 


To  C.  S.  Wiu.^ieacl' 

Ealeigh  Sep.  22/66. 
I  send  you  by  mail  a  packafire  containing  1000  of  niv  Nomination  of 

-J  ^  r  o  O  V    Dockery  by  the 

tickets  for  re-election  as  Govr.     You  will  much  oblige  me  opposition, 
b}'  having  them  distributed  to  the  several  j^oints  of  your 
County. 

You  will  have  seen  that  Mr.  Holden  and  a  few  of  his 
friends  have  nominated  Genl  Dockery,  on  the  platform  of 
the  adoption  by  this  State  of  the  Howard  amendment  to 
the  Constitution  of  the  U.  S.  It  is  represented  by  Mr. 
Holden  that  lie  has  assurance  that  Genl  D.  will  accept  the 
nomination  and  stand  on  this  platform.  I  am  opposed  to 
the  adoption  of  this  amendment  or  any  other  amendment 
to  the  Constitution  of  the  U.  S.  until  we  are  represented 
in  the  proposing  Congress.  If  Genl  D.  accepts  the  nomi- 
nation this  will  be  the  main  issue. 

I  am  persuaded  I  shall  be  sustained  by  you :  but  whether 
I  am  or  not  you  will  oblige  me  by  placing  my  tickets  in 
the  hands  of  some  one  who  will  see  them  properly  dis- 
tributed. 

ROXBORO. 


To  ir.  L.  Spyiiuj.'i. 

Raleigh,  Sep.  22  IS 66. 
Yours  of  the  lOtli  inst.  is  reed. 
The  failure  of  both  the  com  and  wheat  crop  in  manv  Destitution  in  tiie 

.    '     state. 

of  the  Western  Counties  of  the  State,  the  almost  destitu- 


'  Charles  S.  Winstead,  of  Person,  had  been  a  Democratic  member 
of  the  legislature  before  and  during  the  war  ;  after  the  war  he  was  a 
moderate  Republican. 


792  North  Carolina  Historical  Commission. 

tion  of  many  among  the  masses  of  our  people  and  even 
among  those  who  possess  large  real  estate  in  that  grain 
growing  portion  of  the  State,  and  the  heavy  taxation  for 
the  U.  S.  Treasury,  would  make  the  collection  of  a  suffi- 
cient tax  to  meet  the  interest  on  our  State  debt  so  burden- 
some that  I  think  the  Genl  Assembly  will  not  impose  such 
tax  at  its  next  session.  It  is  believed  the  bond  holders  in 
the  State  so  fully  appreciate  the  condition  of  our  people, 
that  they  will  not  expect  or  insist  5n  the  levy  of  such  a 
tax,  as  would  be  necessary  to  pay  the  interest  on  the  State,. 
the  ordinary  expenses  of  the  State  and  the  very  heavy  tax 
necessary  to  defraying  the  charges  of  sustaining  the  poor, 
etc. 

This  must  not  be  construed  as  repudiation.  The  State 
will  pay  if  the  money  can  be  raised  on  her  credit.  For  the 
present  the  people  can't  pay  by  a  direct  tax,  without  griev- 
ous oppression. 

Philadelphia,  Pa. 


To  J.  B.  Mailer. 

Raleigh  Sep.  22/66. 

uon  of  ucketf'  ^  ^^^^  ^^^  ^^  '^^^^'^^  ^  package  of  1000  of  my  tickets  for 

re-election  as  Govr. 

Mr.  Holden  and  a  few  of  his  friends  have  nominated 
Genl  Dockery  as  my  opponent  on  the  platform  of  the  rati- 
fication of  the  Howard  amendment  to  the  Constitution  of 
the  U.  S.  I  am  opposed  to  the  ratification,  of  this  or  any 
other  amendment  to  the  Constitution  of  the  U.  S.  until 
we  are  represented  in  the  propossing  Congress. 

Please  have  my  tickets  distributed  to  the  several  pre- 
cincts of  your  County. 

MORG  ANTON. 


COKRESPOXDEXCE    OF    JoNATIIAN    WoRTH.  793 

To  B.  Y.  McAdcn.' 

Sept.  23  186G. 

Col.  Wren  and  the  Radicals  of  Randolph,  Guilford,  in  regard  to 
Chatham  and  perhaps  Alamance,  by  appointing  Tourgee 
their  representative  made  him  their  mouth-piece.  By 
their  silence  since  the  publication  of  his  speech,  they  en- 
dorse it.  I  send  to  Mr.  Robins,  by  his  request,  in  youi* 
care  a  Tribune  and  a  Herald  containing  his  speech,  which 
I  think  may  be  most  effectively  used  in  the  canvass. 

I  am  still  ignorant  whether  Genl  Dockery  accepts  Hol- 
den's  nomination.  His  tickets  are  being  sent  out  by  the 
Standard.  They  probably  rely  on  their  secret  organiza- 
tions to  run  his  name  without  his  personal  acceptance. 

Gkapiam. 


To  S.  S.  Jacl-son. 

Raleigh  Sep.  28  1866. 

It  is  not  3'et  known  here  whether  Genl  Dockery  accepts 
the  nomination  as  mj  competitor  or  not.  His  defeat  will 
be  disastrous  if  he  run. 

j^  A£.  Ai.  j^  ^  Ji  Ji. 

Mary  says  she  is  better. — The  rest  well — I  learn  that 
Holden  is  sending  out  Dockery  tickets.  The  dependence 
is  on  secret  organizations.  There  are  none  of  them  here. 
Every  body  appears  to  be  for  me  in  Wake  except  Holden 
and  son  and  Jim  Taylor. 

ASHEBOEO 


'  Kufus  Y.  McAden,  of  Alamance,  had  at  this  time  been  a  member 
of  the  legislature  since  1862.  He  was  Speaker  of  the  House  in  18ii6- 
He  was  later  prominent  in  financial  and  manufacturing  circles. 


794  XoKTii  Oarolia'a  Histokical  Commission. 

To  I).  IT.  SinrljHcl'. 

Ralkigii,  Sep.  29  1866. 

Discussion  of  The  daily  prcfisure  of  official  duty  makes  it  physically 

lK)litics.  .  ., ,      „  1  1-1  »        1.  .     , 

impossible  lor  me  to  do  much  lu  the  way  oi  political  or 

social  correspondence. 

On  all  the  great  political  issues  of  the  Country  for  the 
past  thirty  years,  you  and  I  have  agreed.  Do  we  dis- 
agree on  the  issue  whether  IST.  C.  ought  to  ratify  the  How- 
ard amendment  ? 

I  take  this  view.  Those  who  take  the  affirmative  side 
admit  the  legal  organization  of  the  State,  otherwise  the 
action  of  our  Legislature  would  be  nugatory. 

If  the  ratification  by  this  State  with  that  of  24  other 
States  would  make  this  proposition  a  part  of  the  funda- 
mental law  of  the  IJ.  S,,  then  N".  C.  is  one  of  the  States 
of  the  American  Union. 

Article  1  Sec.  2  Constitution  of  the  U.  S.  declares  that 
'^each  State  shall  have  at  least  one  representative." 

Sec.  3  same  article  provides  that  "the  Senate  of  the 
U.  S.  shall  be  composed  of  two  Senators  from  each  State, 
chosen  by  the  Legislature  thereof,  for  six  years." 

North  Carolina  is  denied  the  right  of  having  any  rep- 
resentation in  either  branch  of  the  l^ational  Legislature, 
without  inquiry  whether  those  whom  she  offers  as  repre- 
sentatives, are  constitutionally  qualified  or  not. 

While  we  are  thus  denied  any  representation  in  Con- 
gress we  are  asked  to  ratify  an  amendment  essentially 
altering  the  original  compact. 

The  Constitution  clearlj'  contemplated  that  every  State 
should  be  represented  in  a  Congress  proposing  alterations 
in  the  original  compact. 

I  desire  to  obey  in  good  faith  all  the  provisions  of  the 
Constitution  of  the  U.  S.  and  as  I  entertain  no  doubt  of 
the  correctness  of  these  views  I  am  opposed  to  the  ratifi- 
cation of  any  amendment  to  the  Constitution  of  the  U. 
S.,  so  long  as  we  are  denied  representation  in  the  CongTess 
proposing  such  amendment. 


CORRESPONDEJ^CE    OF    JoNATlIAN    WoRTIt.  795 

These  settled  views  make  it  unnecessary  that  1  shonld 
discuss  the  merits  or  dismerits  of  the  proposed  amend- 
ment. 

Upon  a  single  feature  I  will  submit  a  remark. 

I  am  noWj  as  you  know  I  have  always  been,  in  favor  of 
the  preservation  of  the  American  Union,  upon  the  basis 
of  strict  confidence  and  genuine  reconciliation  between  all 
parts.  I  have  however,  always  view  with  equal  disfavor 
the  N^orthern  party  who  viewed  the  Constitution  of  the 
U.  S.  as  "a  league  with  Hell" — and  the  Southern  Seces- 
sionist. I  know  of  no  act  or  word  of  mine,  public  or 
private,  not  in  exact  accordance  with  these  views,  unless 
my  participation  in  the  State  Government  during  the  war 
should  be  regarded  as  at  variance  with  them.  Up  to  the 
unanimous  action  of  the  State  Convention  in  1861,  as  a 
Senator  and  a  citizen,  I  opposed  the  call  of  a  Convention, — 
and  appropriation  of  money  to  arm  the  State, — and  all 
other  measures  looking  to  Disunion. — When  the  Conven- 
tion was  ordered,  I  refused  to  be  elected  a  member  of  it. 
After  that  Convention  had  unanimously  declared  the 
Union  dissolved,  and  declared  the  State  one  of  the  parties 
to  the  Southern  Confederacy,  and  put  her  in  a  belligerent 
attitude  to  the  United  States,  I  was  still  a  Senator  under 
my  election  in  1860,  and  the  General  Assembly  was  called 
together  in  extra  session.  Driven  by  force  of  these  events 
to  take  sides  with  one  of  the  belligerents,  I  had  no  hesi- 
tation to  link  my  destiny  with  my  own  section.  I  took  the 
oath  to  support  the  Constitution  of  the  Confederate  States 
and  thereafter  acted  in  conformity  with  the  provisions  of 
that  oath:  but  I  did  not  believe  that  the  ISTorthern  people 
felt  towards  us  the  destroying  malevolence  which  many 
of  her  leading  men  now  avow,  and  which  I  still  hope  is 
not  the  dominant  feeling  of  the  ISTorthern  people ;  and  I 
deemed  it  consistent  with  fidelity  to  my  new  engagements 
to  bring  about  peace  on  the  basis  of  the  Constitution  of 
the  United  States.  I  never  joined  in  what  I  deemed  the 
deceptive  and    absurd    cry,  "peace    and    Independence," 


"9G  XoRTii  Carolina  Historical  Commission. 

adopted  generally  in  this  State  by  those  who  now  claim  to 
be  the  only  men  in  the  State  worthy  of  public  trust. 

This  Howard  amendment,  if  adopted,  declares  me  so 
contaminated  that  I  am  unworthy  to  be  elected  to  any 
office  in  the  State — even  that  of  a  Constable. — I  refer  to 
my  case  as  an  illustration  of  many  thousands  of  others 
in  this  State. 

Every  citizen  of  the  United  States  owed  allegiance  to 
the  U.  S.  Those  who  violated  that  allegiance  are  about 
equally  gxiilty,  whether  they  had  ever  taken  the  oath  of 
allegiance  or  not : — and  when  the  United  States  could  not 
protect  its  citizens  surely  they  ought  to  be  excused  for 
obeying  the  laws  of  the  de  facto  government  which  pro- 
tected them,  and  which  they  were  impotent  to  resist.  The 
Confederate  Government  ruled  over  us.  We  have  divine 
authority  for  obying  our  rulers.  Common  sense  ought 
to  regard,  at  least  with  mercy,  submission  to  physical 
power  which  we  were  unable  to  resist.  This  amendment 
recognizes  as  eligible  to  office  those  who  took  up  arms  vol- 
untarily to  resist  the  United  States  or  sought  a  seat  in  the 
Convention  to  dissolve  the  Union  or  who  in  any  form  aided 
to  destroy  the  Union,  provided  such  person  had  not,  as 
an  officer,  taken  an  oath  to  support  the  Constitution  of 
the  U.  S. 

I  do  not  think  this  feature  of  the  amendment  calculated 
to  produce  general   reconciliation. 

I  have  not  the  time  at  present  to  comment  on  the  other 
provisions  of  the  amendment,  of  much  graver  import  than 
the  disqualifying  provision. 

I  deem  an  amendment  containing  so  many  provisions, 
essentially  altering  the  Constitution,  and  to  be  ratified  or 
rejected  as  a  whole,  and  proposed  in  a  Congress  in  which 
several  states  were  excluded  from  representation,  is  not 
deserving  of  ratification  by  any  State  in  the  Union. 

It  is  not  known  here  whether  Geiil  Dockery  accepts  the 
nomination  as  my  competitor  for  Govr.  or  not, — and  I  am 
ignorant  whether  he  favors  the  ratification  of  the  Howard 


Correspondence  of  Jonathan  Worth.  797 

amendment  or  not.      [Ne'xt  few  lines  cannot  be  read.} 

Mr.  Holden  and  Mr.  Thomas  and  the  few  others  who 
nominated  Genl  Dockery,  are  unmistakable  Union  men ; 
while  they  profess  to  deplore  my  dc  fact  ion  from  the  sup- 
port of  the  Union,  urge  the  adoption  of  this  amendment, 
not  because  they  profess  to  approve  the  provisions,  but  on 
the  ground  that  it  is  offered  to  us  as  a  condition  precedent 
to  allowing  us  representation  in  Congress,  and  that  the 
choice  is  left  us  only  to  accept  this  or  submit  to  worse 
terms.  I  know  of  no  radical  grounds  on  which  they  make 
this  representation.  The  last  Congress  made  no  such 
declaration — If  it  had,  what  security  have  we  that  the 
next  Congress  would  feel  bound  by  it?  President  John- 
son made  known  to  us,  early  last  summer,  that  if  we 
would  ratify  an  amendment  to  the  Constitution  of  the 
U.  S.  which  had  been  proposed  while  we  were  voluntarily 
excluded  from  representation  in  Congress,  abolishing 
slavery — if  we  would  amend  our  constitution  so  as  to 
abolish  slavery — declare  Secession  a  political  heresy  and 
repudiate  our  State  debt,  he  would  deem  us  entitled  to 
representation  in  Congress.  The  whole  Xorth  seemed  to 
acquiese  in  this  plan.  Scarcely  a  murmur  was  heard 
against  it.  We  hastened  to  comply  with  all  the  conditions 
and  elected  men  to  represent  us  in  Congress,  not  one  of 
whom  had  eVer  advocated  the  doctrine  of  Secession,  and 
whom  we  believed  under  any  constitutional  teste,  entitled 
to  take  a  seat.  On  the  meeting  of  Congress,  to  our  amaze- 
ment we  found  other  undefined  conditions  were  to  be  im- 
posed. Our  representatives  were  rejected  without  inquiry 
as  to  their  eligibility.  Under  these  circumstances  what 
rational  ground  of  hope  have  we  that  if  we  adopt  the  How- 
ard amendment,  it  will  not  be  followed  by  the  require- 
ment of  universal  negro  suffrage,  general  confiscation,  the 
impeachment  of  President  Johnson  and  other  measures 
of  degradation. 

The  little  squad  who  assembled  here  on  the  20th  inst 
under  a  call  for  a  great  State  and  mass  union  meeting 


798  XoRTII    CaKOI.IXA    ITlSTOKICAL    CoMMISSIOX. 

had  leave  from  me  granted  on  the  application  of  Gov. 
Holden's  son,  a  day  or  two  in  advance  of  the  assemblage, 
to  hold  the  meeting  in  the  Hall  of  the  House  of  Com- 
mons. I  know  not  why  they  declined  to  avail  themselves 
of  the  privilege,  unless  the  paucity  of  the  numbers — not 
enough  to  fill  three  benches.  [Rest  of  page  cannot  he 
read.^  They  forgot  that  he  and  his  chief  associate 
Mr.  C.  R.  Thomas,  as  members  of  the  Convention  of  1861, 
had  voted  the  State  out  of  the  Union.  It  did  not  suit 
them  to  look  into  antecedents.  They  proposed  to  make  a 
distinguished  gentleman  their  standard  bearer.  He  and 
I  were  Senators  in  the  General  Assembly  of  1860-61. 
In  Deer.  1860,  before  the  ordinance  of  Secession,  it  was 
proposed  to  place  in  the  hands  of  Gov.  Ellis,  an  ardent 
secessionist,  $300,000.  to  arm  the  State.  Genl.  Dockery 
voted  for  this  bill  and  I  voted  against  it.  On  the  final 
reading  of  the  bill,  in  May,  1861,  calling  a  convention,  he 
voted  for  it,  and  I  voted  against  it.  I  do  not  refer  to  these 
votes  to  call  in  question  the  patriotism  of  any  body.  Many 
worthy  men  differed  from  me.  I  refer  to  them  only  to 
show  why  these  gentlemen  wished  to  ignore  the  good  old 
rule  of  judging  men  by  their  antecedents. 

I  expected,  when  I  commenced  this  letter,  that  it  would 
be  a  short  one.  It  had  turned  out  to  be  rather  a  long  one, 
in  which  I  have  indulged  in  free  expression  of  my  views, 
currente  calamo,  without  any  mental  reservation.  You 
may  use  it  as  you  please,  save  through  the  press. 

Shall  be  glad  to  hear  from  you  in  reply. 

[P.  S.] — Since  the  nomination  of  Genl.  Dockery,  I 
perceive  the  Standard  is  advocating  that  representation 
in  this  State  should  rest  on  the  white  basis.  I  infer  from 
this  that  Govr.  Ilolden  would  make  a  side  issue — a  bid 
for  the  vote  of  the  populous  West.  I  voted  for  the  ratifi- 
cation of  the  amendments  lately  proposed  to  our  State 
Constitution.  Whether  Genl.  Dockery  voted  for  it  or  not, 
I  do  not  know.     I  understood  it  to  be  acceptable  to  the 


CORKESPONDENCE    OF    JONATHAN    WoETH.  799 

West.  I  deemed  the  amendments  wise  ones  and  voted  for 
the  ratification  of  them.  As  a  legislator  I  have  considered 
the  whole  State  interested  in  developing  the  resources  of 
the  West  and  none  of  the  representatives  of  the  West  have 
voted  more  steadily  for  measures  of  Western  improve- 
ment, than  I  have. 
Sale:\[. 


From  D.  F.  Caldwell 

Greensboeo  N".  C.  SeiJt.  30  66. 
I  wish  to  call  your  attention  to  a  matter  which  I  think  conditions  in 

♦^         _  state  polities. 

deserves  some  attention.  I  allude  to  the  methods  and 
notices  as  also  the  purposes  for  which  many  foreign  and 
native  born  scamps  liars  and  villains  are  organising  the 
people  into  what  they  are  pleased  to  call  the  JSTational 
Union  Republican  Party.  These  unprincipled  creatures 
are  organizing  these  oath  bound  secret  political  leagiies  or 
clubs  in  every  neighborhood.  If  I  am  informed  correctly 
the  method  used  to  frighten  the  people  into  joining  these 
clubs,  is  something  after  this  fasions.  First  it  matters 
not  what  a  man's  anticeadents  are  if  he  is  against  the 
Howard  amendment  and  congress  he  is  disloyal  and  not 
to  be  believed  or  trusted  in  any  particular.  2.  All  dis- 
loyalty and  disloyal  men  no  matter  who  they  are  or  what 
they  have  been  are  to  be  crushed  out  and  put  under  the 
foot  of  the  Republican  Party  if  it  takes  a  thousand  years 
to  do  it.  It  is  useless  to  talk  of  trying  each  one  imder  the 
Constitution,  in  open  court  and  by-  the  laws  of  the  land 
and  a  jury,  where  they  will  have  an  opportunity  to  con- 
front their  accusers  and  have  counsel  and  evidence.  This 
mode  of  proceeding  might  do  for  a  given  number,  but  the 
country  is  too  full  of  trators  to  dignify  or  tamper  with 
treason  in  this  way  it  must  be  rendered  so  odious  through- 
out the  length  and  bredth  of  the  land  that  it  will  smell  to 
Heaven.     The  IST.   E.   Union   Party  intend  to  deal  with 


800  North  Carolina  Historical  Com.mission. 

the  traitors  of  the  South  as  the  people  of  California  did 
with  the  gamblers  and  pick  pockets  of  Sanirisco  and 
elsewhere — in  that  state.  That  is  to  make  the  party 
Judges  and  Jury  both  and  dispose  of  them  in  the  most 
just  and  summary  manner,  Andy  Johnson  not  excepted. 
They  have  already  as  a  party  passed  a  law  prohibiting  the 
appointment  of  any  more  judges  to  the  bench  of  the  Su- 
preme Court  of  the  United  States  until  the  number  shall 
have  reduced  by  death,  resignation  or  impeachment  to  six. 
This  law  will  keep  a  majority  silent,  etc.  or  like  Old  Judge 
Chase  they  will  with  the  President  be  impeached.  This 
much  is  secured.  The  next  is  to  secure  the  passage  of  the 
Howard  Amendment  to  the  constitution.  This  done  it 
virtually  attaints  four-fifths  of  the  people  of  the  Southern 
States  and  put  them  and  their  property  and  all  their  lib- 
erty and  privileges  of  Congress  to  dispose  of  them  and 
their  property  as  they  may  please  by  a  party  vote  of 
Congress  that  will  be  organized  by  the  party  and  elected 
and  sit  as  the  great  Xational  Republican  Union  Vigilance 
to  try  and  condemn  the  miserable  traitors  in  the  most  just 
and  summary  manner.  And  the  members  of  the  party 
that  belong  to  the  wide  awake  Clubs,  Red  String  and  other 
similar  secret  societies  of  the  party  will  have  it  in  their 
power  through  these  officers  to  keep  Congress  thoroughly 
advised  and  posted  as  to  the  political  state  of  all  their 
neighbors.  In  other  words  they  will  have  power  to  kill  to 
"Kill  and  MaJce  Alive"  And  woe  be  to  the  man  or  party 
that  shall  be  fool  hardy  enough  to  oppose  tliem.  The 
heavens  may  weep  the  thunders  roll  the  earth  rock  and 
the  mountains  tremble  and  quake — but  the  leaders  of  the 
Union  Republican  Party  will  not  hesitate  give  back  or 
flinch  in  the  slightest  degree  they  have  laid  down  their 
program  and  they  intend  and  will  carry  it  out  to  the  let- 
ter if  the  South  will  not  come  up  at  once  and  chearfully 
ratify  the  Howard  Amendment  and  place  themselves 
imder  the  feet  of  the  Union  Party  they  will  find  that  they 


CORRESPOXDEXCE    OF    JoXATIlAX    WoRTlI.  801 

will  fare  much  worse  hereafter  than  they  will,  if  they 
were  to  crouch  down  at  their  feet  and  at  once  make  a  full 
and  hearty  surrender  of  themselves  and  all  they  have  to 
he  disposed  of  as  this  party  may  determine  in  their  good 
pleasure.  If  the  stubhon  traitors  would  but  do  this  at 
once  and  in  sincerity  humility  and  truth  five  years  would 
not  roll  over  their  heads  before  all  of  them  would  be  par- 
doned upon  the  recojnmendation  of  the  loyal  members  of 
their  own  immediate  vicinity,  so  well  authenticated  as  in- 
sures the  imediate  favorable  action  of  the  Party  in  Con- 
gress assembled  without  travelling  them  over  the  country 
with  trying  them  by  a  .lury.  And  so  any  one  may,  if 
they  will  but  now  join  our  organization  save  their  life 
property  reputation  and  all  the  privileges  of  an  American 
Citizen  and  at  the  same  time  identify  himself  with  the 
Mighty  Republican  Union  Party,  and  thus  soon  come  to 
the  front  ranks  in  that  party  here  in  the  South  backed  by 
the  votes  and  suported  ultimately  by  the  African  race  as 
a  unit  which  element  will  be  a  garantee  of  success  in  the 
South  for  generations  yet  to  come.  Those  who  do  not  see 
proper  to  hasten  to  join  these  clubs  of  patriotic  loyalists 
will  have  to  take  what  comes  or  may  be  meated  out  to 
them  by  the  great  aSTational  Vigilance  Committees  and 
their  auxiliray  secret  societies  throughout  the  country. 

I  have  not  used  the  words,  but  this  is  in  substance  and 
effect  of  the  motives  and  reasons  urged  upon  thousands 
by  these  uncompromising  liars  and  vilans  that  are  prowl- 
ing like  so  many  ravenous  wolves  through  the  South  to 
induce  them  by  force  or  cowardice  to  join  their  secret  clubs 
or  vote  with  the  Malignants — and  that  this  is  honestly  the 
program  laid  dovai  by  the  party  or  club  now  in  power  I  have 
not  a  shadow  of  a  doubt.  Every  move  they  make  proves  it. 
And  the  rapid  manner  in  which  they  are  organising  these 
secret  oath  bound  military  clubs  for  the  avowed  purpose 
of  arming  them  if  they  should  deem  it  necessary  to  do 
so  to  carry  out  their  purpose  proves  to  my  mind  that  they 

Vol.  2—10 


802  XouTU  Carolina  Histokical  Commission. 

are  in  dead  earnest  when  they  make  known  their  purpose 
as  above  set  forth  in  substance  if  not  in  their  language 
exactly.  But  I  trust  in  God  and  cannot  be  awed  by  them. 
I  hope  and  believe  it  is  but  the  vain  boasting  of  Rabshaek.' 
They  may  jDropose  and  intend  to  make  us  "Drink  our  oini 
piss  and  eat  our  own  dang,"  as  did  the  vain  boasting 
Asyrian  declare  they  intended  to  make  the  j^oor  famished 
Jews  do  in  Jerusalem — and  yet  the  Jews  lived  and  the 
mighty  host  of  Senacherib'  it  was  that  bit  the  dust.  I 
have  thought  it  my  duty  this  morning  to  give  you  in  the 
hasty  and  imperfect  manner,  a  hint  as  to  the  manner  in 
which  the  machine  is  doing  work  and  end  had  in  view, 
that  you  may,  if  it  is  thought  advisable  to  set  it  forth  in 
proper  state  you  may  have  the  proper  data  or  infonna- 
tion  at  hand  to  do  so.  Of  course  I  have  not  written  one 
word  of  this  for  publication  just  as  I  have  put  it  to- 
gether— at  a  full  canter — no  not  a  word  of  it  yet.  I  do 
think  something  ought  to  be  written  and  published,  and 
not  a  little  but  a  gi'eat  deal  on  this  subject  and  that  im- 
mediately. If  we  die  let  us  die  as  Moses  did  with  our 
own  poor  despised  and  enslaved  people.  If  we  are  over- 
powered let  us  not  sucumb  but  act  the  part  of  Christian 
Patriots  as  did  Daniel  of  old — let  us  never  bow  to  the 
Golden  images  of  the  Howard  Amendment  if  we  have 
to  go  to  the  lion's  den  of  Radicalism — let  our  leaders 
have  but  the  brave  heart  as  Queen  Esther  to  go  forward 
in  the  right  way  whether  the  party  or  the  throne  stretch 
forth  the  golden  cepture  of  power  or  not  while  the  rank 
and  file  be  like  Mordecai  robe  themselves  in  sack  cloth 
and  pray  to  heaven  to  be  delivered  out  of  the  hands  of 
the  wicked  Haman  that  have  shown  their  bitter  spite  in 
erecting  galuses  or  gibbits  to  execute  us  upon. 

You  may  think  I  have  turned  preacher,  not  exactly  so, 
but  you  may  tell  Brother  Pell  if  you  like  that  I  do  not 
think  there  is  enough  of  charity  and  strong  faith  enough 
in  God  and  toward  our  ])oor  sinful  race.     And  yet  I  am 

'  Rabshackeh,  II.  Kings  18:27. 
'^  tSennacherib,  II.  Kings  19:35. 


CoEKESPONDE2fCE   OF    JoNATHxiN   WoRTH.  803 

not  for  compromising  with  no  Judas  or  Ilaman  or  Aru(jld 
n  ■"  a  bit  of  it.  Yet  there  are  thousands  of  honest  well- 
meaning  men  who  are  misled  and  mis-guided  by  others 
while  these  hundred  that  are  cowed  by  fear  while  not  a 
few  think  and  that  honestly  it  is  best  to  make  no  opposi- 
tion until  we  get  back  into  the  Union,  but  to  join  the  Radi- 
cals, and  go  with  them,  until  we  get  our  Representatives 
and  then  join  issue  with  them.  Most  of  these  men  I  have 
every  reason  to  believe  are  honest,  as  I  know  they  are  mis- 
taken— They  say  our  head  is  in  the  Lion's  mouth.  We 
must  get  it  out  the  best  way  we  can.  I  tell  them  I  never 
can  do  wrong  that  good  may  come  of  it,  I  am  as  forbid 
as  a  Christian  to  do  so — if  I  did  I  would  slander  all  Chris- 
tians and  Patriots  and  disgrace  my  own  name  and  an- 
cestors, etc.,  etc. 

Forgive  me  for  inflicting  on  you  this  awfully  long  rig- 
amarole.  But  get  Pell  and  Gales  to  ventilate  this  mat- 
ter, but  I  do  not  wish  it  to  appear  as  hailing  from  Guilford 
County  of  Greensborough  or  this  section  of  the  state.  We 
have  stormy  sea,  high  winds  and  the  Union  vessels  have 
exceedingly  Aveak  and  inefficient  pilots  on  board.  'No 
weaker  ticket  could  have  been  started  scarcely  and  yet 
under  all  the  circumstances  it  was  the  best  we  could  do 
owing  to  the  peculiar  circumstances  in  which  we  are 
placed,  and  for  the  want  of  the  property  qualification  of 
several  that  could  have  been  got  to  run  and  would  have 
made  an  effective  canvass  but  by  hard  work  I  hope  all 
may  get  through.  I  have  written  communications  to  one 
paper  in  another  state  for  publication  touching  this  mat- 
ter. I  think  if  you  could  get  some  one  to  write  to  the 
National  Intelligencer  and  then  copy  it  it  would  do  good. 

[P.  S.] — I  am  decidedly  of  the  impression  that  if  sev- 
eral able  articles  were  written  fully  ventilating  the  course 
pursued  by  the  Malig-nants  in  the  South  and  were  forth- 
with published  in  the  Southern  papers  it  would  tell  for 
good- — Think  of  this  California  Vigilance  Committee  or- 
ganization with  the  Auxiliary  Clubs  of  Vigilance  to  set 


804  North  Carolina  Historical  Commission. 

atiiJe  tile  courts.  If  the  people  stand  siieli  proeeediiigs  our 
liberties  are  gone.  Turn  the  matter  over  in  your  mind 
and  act  upon  it  frankly — hut  quietly  and  as  far  from 
home  as  possible  at  first — and  as  correspondent.  And  then 
comment  on  the  letters  when  published  here  at  home  is 
my  idea,  etc.,  etc.,  No  time  to  read  anything  T  have  ^vl•it- 
ten  over.  If  anything  be  wrong  you  must  set  it  down  to 
haste  and  confusion.  The  male  closes  soon  and  I  must 
seace  to  write  to  get  my  letter  in. 

[P.  8.] — Much  of  this  has  come  indirect  from  northern 
men,  etc. 


To  Colonel  J.  V.  Bomford. 

Kaleigh,  Oct.  1  1866. 

Alexander  Moore,  of  color,  who  is  employed  as  a  servant 
in  the  chief  offices  of  the  Capitol  and  Julius,  formerly  my 
slave,  have  been  allowed  by  your  predecessors,  with  my 
assent,  to  occupy  the  houses  they  live  in  belonging  to  the 
State.  They  are  both  worthy  men,  and  I  hope  will  bo 
permitted  to  remain  in  the  houses  they  occupy. 

I  hear  that  there  are  other  colored  occupants  of  some  of 
the  houses  belonging  to  the  Governor's  mansion.  No 
others,  excepting  Alex,  and  Julius,  are  there  by  my  as- 
sent or  permission. 

I  write  this  note  at  the  request  of  Alex. — 

Raleigh,  N.  C. 


To  B.  S.  Hedrick. 

Raleigh  Oct.  1/66. 
Your  late  letters  have  been  received.     The  pressure  of 
daily  duties  restricts  me  to  a  very  brief  reply. 
North  Carolina  I  am  yet  ignorant  whether  Genl  D  favors  the  ratifica- 

poiitics. 

tion  of  the  Howard  amendment,  or  whether  he  accepts  the 
Holden  nomination. 


CORRESPOKDENCE    OF   JONATHAN   WoRTII.  805 

The  Standard  is  sending  ont  his  tickets,  from  what  I 
infer  he  is  to  be  voted  for  whether  he  is  a  candidate  or  not. 
A  secret  organization  exists  in  the  State — supposed  to  be 
the  same  as  the  loyal  League  of  the  I^orth — which  is  co- 
operating with  Holden.  As  to  the  extent  of  its  member- 
ship I  know  nothing. 

The  nomination  of  Dockery  over  me  as  an  unmistakable 
loyal  man  is  absurd  unless  you  adopt  the  Holden  theory 
that  you  are  to  judge  men  without  reference  to  their  ante- 
cedents. The  journals  show  that  in  Dec.  1860  he  voted 
for  the  appropriation  of  $300,000.  to  be  placed  in  Gov. 
Ellis's  hands  to  arm  the  State,  while  I  voted  against  it. — 
In  May  1861  he  voted  for  a  Convention  to  dissolve  the 
Union  while  I  voted  against  it — Ilolden  and  Thomas,  the 
chief  men  who  nominated  him,  sought  seats  in  the  Con- 
vention of  1861  and  voted  the  State  out  of  the  Union — I 
refused  to  be  elected  a  member  of  that  Convention.  Ante- 
cedents don't  suit  my  opponents. 

Come  what  may  I  will  not  ratify  an  amendment  of  the 
Constitution  by  which  I  would  declare  myself  ineligible 
as  a  constable  and  which  makes  eligible  the  most  ultra 
Seccessionist  who  voluntarily  voted  the  State  out  of  the 
Union  and  voluntarily  took  up  arms  against  the  U.  S., 
provided  he  had  held  no  office  before  the  war.  We  all  owe 
allegiance  to  the  U.  S.  as  well  those  who  had  taken  the  oath 
as  those  who  had  not — and  when  the  U.  S.  was  not  able 
to  protect  those  who  would  have  adhered  to  their  allegi- 
ance, I  do  not  acknowledge  the  criminality  of  those  who 
obeyed  the  powers  that  were. 

Without  referring  to  the  many  other  incongruous  j)ro- 
visions  of  the  amendment  to  be  ratified  or  rejected  as  a 
whole,  I  am  with  the  President  in  his  position  that  no 
amendment,  proposed  by  the  Congress  while  we  are  denied 
representation,  ought  to  be  ratified. 

As  a  conquered  people  we  must  submit  to  such  terms  as 
our  conquerors  shall  impose,  but  no  generous  man  ought 


806  North  Carolina  Historical  Commission. 

to  expect  us  to  hasten  to  the  whipping  post  and  invite  the 
lash  in  advance  of  condemnation. 

I  greatly  fear  that  the  North  does  not  intend  we  shall 
be  allowed  to  be  members  of  the  great  Republic,  retaining 
any  sense  of  manhood. 
Ai)pointnientof  You  mention  that  my  appointment  of  Jas.  Morehead  ir 

Kiillroud  Directors.  ... 

and  Jno.  A  Gilmer  jr  were  distasteful  to  some  of  my 
friends  in  Guilford.  I  am  surprised  at  this.  They  were 
both  for  Union  until  war  was  begun.  Their  going  to  Ft. 
Macon  with  Jos.  Turner  and  others — all  Union  men — 
was,  as  I  thought,  wrong — but  I  stood  alone  then.  If  I 
had  looked  only  to  those  to  fill  ofiices  who  did  not  partici- 
j)ate  in  the  war,  I  could  not  have  produced  the  general  rec- 
onciliation among  our  people  which  I  deem  essential  to  a 
Union  worth  preserving.  If  the  iSTorth  would  adopt  a  like 
generous  course,  gratitude  on  the  part  of  the  great  body 
of  our  people  would  soon  make  a  great  fraternal  Union. 
Washington. 


To  ('.  C.  Clarl'. 

Oct.  1/66. 

Suicf"°''°''  -^  inclose  to    you  a  letter    for  my    client,  Mrs.    Maria 

Franck,  Richlands — Onslow  County.  I  would  send  it 
direct  but  do  not  know  whether  Richland's  P.  O.  has  been 
restored.  She  wrote  me  lately,  but  her  letter  was  mailed 
at  Newbern. 

It  is  understood  here  this  evening  that  Genl  Dockery 
declines  to  accept  the  nomination,  on  the  grounds  that  the 
nominating  meeting  was  not  large  enough — and  on  the 
further  ground  that  the  election  is  too  near  at  hand  to 
give  him  time  to  canvass  the  State, — but  approving  the 
Howard  amendment. — The  purpose  is,  through  secret  or- 
ganizations, to  vote  for  him  without  subjecting  him  to  the 
mortification  of  defeat  as  a  Candidate.  You  will  probably 
find  his  printed  tickets  at  every  precinct. 


COUKESPOXDEJS^CE    OF    JONATHA.X    WoRTH.  807 

It  is  truly  humiliating  that  any  prominent  man  iu  I)^, 
C.  should  so  degrade  himself,  in  order  to  purchase  the 
dispensing  favor  of  two-thirds  of  Congress,  as  to  favor  the 
ratification  of  any  amendment  to  the  Constitution,  pro- 
posed in  a  Congress  in  which  we  are  denied  representa- 
tion, much  more  that  there  should  be  any  white  man  in 
the  State  in  favor  of  placing  a  negro  and  a  white  man 
side  by  side  in  a  jury  box,  and  making  ineligible  to  office 
nearly  all  her  representative  men.  Politicians  have  the 
ignoble  excuse  that  they  thereby  purchase  the  privilege 
of  ruling  over  an  unwilling  people  and  by  fawning  buy 
exemption  from  Confiscation  and  other  favors  from  their 
Conquerors.  No  full-blooded  North  Carolinian  will  hu- 
miliate and  degrade  himself  by  favoring  this  amendment, 
whatever  may  be  the  consequences  of  refusing  to  ratify  it. 

Xew  Berx. 


From   T.  D.  Bryson. 
Webster,  Jacksox  Co.,  iST.  C. 

October  the  1st,  1866. 

Yours  of  Sept.  18th  is  to  hand  together  with  your 
tickets,  etc.  I  see  since  the  date  of  yours  that  Mr.  Alfred 
Dockery  is  your  opponent  and  upon  the  Radical  Platform. 
We  have  but  few  Radicals  in  this  County  and  they  are 
growing  beautifully  less. 

I  am  a  candidate  for  reelection  in  this  County  and  am 
opposed  to  the  Radical  doctrine  of  Negro  equality  and  op- 
pression. 

Gov.  I  was  some  what  surprised  upon  receiving  a  letter 
from  the  Agt.  of  the  State,  Mr.  Siler,  Agt.  for  the  collec- 
tion of  Cherokee  Bonds,  informing  me  as  (President  of 
the  Tuckaseege  &  Keowee  Turnpike  Road)  that  you  had 
instructed  him  not  to  subscribe  to  that  Road  under  the 
Bill  of  last  session.  This  decision  has  made  quite  a 
damper  in  this  County,   as  this  road  is  so  much  needed 


808  North  Carolina  Historical  Commission. 

that  evcrv  man  in  the  county  is  interested  in  its  com- 
pletion, and  we  think  the  Bill  so  plain.  The  points  made 
by  Mr.  Siler  as  he  informed  me  that  his  first  impression 
was  that  it  conflicted  with  the  Macon  County  Turnpike. 
The  Bill  is  clear  that  it  does  not  interfere  with  that  road 
and  further  there  are  some  outstanding  debts  due  by  Mr. 
Siler  (a  very  small  amount  which  this  bill  does  not  inter- 
fere with.  So  I  cannot  see  what  grounds  for  delay.  ^Ye 
further  claim  that  under  an  Act  of  1848  authorizing  a 
survey  for  the  Western  T.  K.  and  Act  of  1852,  Page  620 
Vol.  1st,  authorizing  Mr.  Siler  to  retain  the  amount  of 
the  expenses  of  the  survey  and  collect  and  pay  into  the 
Treasury,  which  amount  he  has  retained  and  has  in  his 
hands  now — has  not  been  applied  to  any  other  purpose 
and  that  this  bill  repeals  that  law  and  applies  that  fund 
to  this  road.  This  position  is  taken  by  Col.  Wm.  H. 
Thomas  and  the  candidates  for  the  Senate  that  this  fund 
is  apjDlicable  to  this  road  aside  from  the  other  bonds  in 
Mr.  Siler's  hands.  The  road  is  now  under  contract  and 
contractors  at  work  under  an  order  of  the  Company,  as 
every  person  here  thought  the  Bill  plain  and  your  decision 
has  made  quite  a  damper.  I  hope  Gov.  you  will  look  into 
the  Bills  and  let  me  hear  from  you  at  once.  The  road 
will  cost  but  a  small  amount  of  the  funds.  If  this  de- 
cision had  not  been  against  the  road  we  could  have  car- 
ried this  county  10  to  1  for  you.  An  early  answer  is 
all    important. 


To  Kerens  MendenhaU. 

TfALEIGH  Oct.  2  1866. 
Tourgee's speech.  The  public  know  that  you  participated  in  the  meeting 
which  delegated  Tourgee  to  the  Phila.  Convention.  They 
have  read  his  speech  there.  While  uncontradicted  by  the 
persons  who  sent  him,  he  must  be  regarded,  and  he  has 
a   right  to  claim,   that  he  was   a  true  exponent   of  their 


COBRESPONDEXCE    OF    JONATHAN   WoRTH.  809 

views  and  o]3inions.  From  the  place  where  the  meeting 
was  held  and  your  participation  in  it,  the  inference  is 
gen.  .'allv  drawm,  that  the  Quakers,  who  are  remarkable 
for  their  unity  of  action  and  among  whom  you  are  a 
pi'ominent  man  endorse  the  view  that  Union  men  are 
oppressed  by  the  civil  authorities  of  the  State, — that  they 
are  in  favor  of  disfranchising  the  great  body  of  the  white 
men  of  the  State  and  allowing  universal  suffrage  to  the 
recently  emancipated  negro — that  you  favor  a  constitu- 
tional amendment  which  would  exclude  from  office  Gov. 
Graham  and  every  other  prominent  man  in  IST.  C,  who 
have  always  stood  up  for  the  Quakers. 

You  know  that  but  for  the  efforts  of  Gov.  Graham  the 
Quakers  would  have  suffered  intolerable  oppression.  He, 
as  I  know,  and  many  of  his  friends,  regard  you  as  seek- 
ing to  persecute  him. 

I  know,  but  the  public  does  not  I'now,  that  you  opposed 
the  adoption  of  the  resolution  which  slanders  the  State 
authorities  and  I  believe  that  you  and  the  Quakers  gen- 
erally will  vote  for  me  in  preference  to  Genl  Dockery — 
nnd  notwithstanding  you  may  disapprove  some  acts  of 
Gov,  Graham  during  the  war,  I  am  sure,  taking  his  whole 
life  together,  you  would  still  sustain  him. 

As  you  got  into  that  Tourgee  meeting,  reluctant  as  I 
know"  you  are  to  appear  before  the  public,  I  submit  to 
you  whether  you  ought  not  to  place  yourself  right  by  a 
note  to  the  public,  in  the  Greensboro  Patriot,  Old  North 
State  or  other  news-paper. 

!N^Ew  Garden. 


To  Drahe  &  Sons. 

Raleigh  Oct.  4/66. 
You  will  see  in  the  Standard  of  this  date  that  Holden  concerning certiun 

a.ssertions  of  the 

asserts  he  has  in  his  possession  evidence  of  the  most  un-  opposition, 
doubted  character,  that  it  is  not  safe  for  a  Union  man  in 


810  XoRTH  Carolina  Histokical  Commission. 

certain  localities  "West  of  this  place  to  announce  their 
views  from  the  stump.  ''We  hiow  that  one  of  our  worth- 
iest public  men  has  been  driven  from  the  stump  and 
silenced  by  armed  ex-rebels;  and  we  apprehend  that  the 
election  will  not  be  free  at  some  boxes  in  that  portion  of 
of  the  State." — "We  knoiu  the  fact  that  the  American 
flag  was  pulled  down  by  armed  ex-rebels  at  Jefferson  a 
week  or  two  ago." — The  Sec.  of  State,  Mr.  Best,  who  is 
a  worthy  man  and  voted  for  Hold  en  against  me  last  Fall 
"Holden  and  get  back — Worth  and  stay  out  of  the 
Union"  infoi-ms  me  tliat  he  this  day  asked  Holden  who 
was  the  man  "silenced  by  armed  ex-rebels," — that  ]\Ir. 
Holden  replied  that  it  was  Mr.  Cowles,  Candidate  for 
the  Senate  in  your  district  and  it  was  in  Iredell  where  he 
was  thus  silenced.  I  give  you  this  fact  for  such  com- 
mentai-y  as  the  facts  may  warrant.  My  name  must  not  be 
mentioned  as  communicating  those  facts. — Kor  is  it  ex- 
pedient that  Mr.  Bests'  name  appear  in  the  news-papers. 
He  did  not  enjoin  confidence  but  it  had  better  be  referred 
to  without  involving  him  in  an  issue  with  an  unscrupulous 
man.  You  can  refer  to  the  facts  as  derived  from  a  reliable 
source. 

Statesville. 


To  Dr.  J.  T.  Leacli} 

Personal. 

Ealeigit,  Oct.  k,  1866. 

Defending  his  Mv  intimate  acquitance  with  you  leads  me  to  the  con- 

record.  "  ^  "^       _ 

elusion  that  you  as  an  honest  man,  with  enough  courage  to 
avow  your  sentiments. 

From  two  articles  lately  appearing  in  the  Standard,  the 
recommendations  which  [Here  folloic  several  lines  that 
are  illeriihle.] 


'Joseph  T.  Leach,  of  Johnston  county,  was  a  physician.  He  was 
prominent  in  the  peace  movement  during  the  war  and  was  elected  to 
the  Confederate  Congress  on  the  peace  issue.  After  the  war,  unhke 
most  of  the  peace  parly,  he  became  a  Democrat. 


CoKRESPOiSrDENCE    OF    JoNATHAX    WuKTII.  811 

Second.  That  you  regard  us  as  a  conquered  people, 
bouud  to  accept  such  terms  as  Congress  may  impose. 

Third. — that  if  we  ratify  the  Howard  amendment,  we 
will  be  entitled  to  representation  in  Congress,  and  there- 
fore we  ought   to  ratify   it. 

As  to  the  first  proposition  you  will  admit  the  safest 
rule  of  judging  men  is  by  their  actions. 

In  1860  I  voted  against  the  bill  putting  $300,000.  into 
the  hands  of  a  Secession  Govr — General  Dockery  voted 
for  it.     See  the  Journal. 

In  May,  1861  I  voted  on  the  final  reading  against  a 
Convention — Genl.  Dockery  for  it.     See  Journal. 

During  the  war  I  never  said  I  was  for  peace  and  In- 
dependence. I  considered  and  uniformly  declared  that 
this  cry  was  absurd  and  deceptive  and  on  all  proper  oc- 
casions said  so,  and  maintained  that  we  ought  to  make 
peace  on  the  basis  of  a  restoration  of  the  Union.  This 
I  can  establish  by  my  letters  written  at  divers  periods  dur- 
ing the  war,  often  to  men  difi^ering  in  opinion  with  me. 
Whilst  I  stood  faithfully  for  my  section,  after  I  could  not 
avert  war,  I  never  denied  that  I  favored  peace  on  the  only 
practical  basis — Union.  Genl.  D.  indignantly  denied  that 
he  favored  re-construction. 

After  the  war  was  over  and  I  offered  to  run  for  Govr. 
I  put  myself  before  the  people,  asking  their  support  upon 
my  Union  Record.  Holden  had  been  a  Secessionist.  I 
never  had.  He  voted  the  State  out  of  the  Union.  I 
would  not  accept  a  seat  in  the  Convention. 

Perhaps  you  say  I  was  admired  by  the  Secessionists 
and  Avas  therefore  sustained.  When  their  old  associate 
turned  upon  them  and  reviled  them,  is  it  not  natural  that 
they  should  hate  him  ?  They  respect  me  as  a  life-long 
Union  man.  But  the  most  ultra  Union  counties  also  voted 
for  me — for  instance,  Alamance,  Anson,  Camden, 
Chowan,  Davidson,  Hertford,  Davie,  Forysthe,  Gates, 
Granville,  Montgomery,  Orange,  Pasquotank  and  Per- 
quimans. 


812  North  Carolina  Historical  Commission. 

Possibly  you  may  have  been  led  into  the  unjust  cry  that 
I  have  favored  Secessionists  in  my  patronage.  If  you 
think  so,  I  ask  you  to  review  them.  If  I  have  given  a 
government  position  to  a  Secessionist,  I  can't  recall  it. 
The  only  offices,  having  any  rewards  attached,  were  State 
Geologist,  Private  Secretary  and  Keeper  of  the  Capitol. 
My  private  secretary  was  one  of  Mr.  Holden's  confidential, 
secretaries.  He  did  not  vote  for  either  me  or  Holden. 
Both  the  others  voted  for  Holden.  All  were  as  ardent 
Union  men  as  you  or  I. 

My  next  most  important  appointments  were  the  board 
of  Internal  improvement — Winston  and  Ramsey — both 
life  long  Whigs  and  Unionists — quite  as  loyal  as  you  or  I. 
All  the  members  of  the  board  of  Literature  were  old 
Whigs  and  Union  men  till  war  actually  commenced. 
Two  of  them  ardently  supported  the  war  afte^'  it  com- 
menced, as  most  union  men  did. 

Pive  sixths  of  the  Directors  I  appointed  on  the  R. 
Roads  were  ante-war  men — old  Whigs — several  of  them 
did  not  suport  me — for  instance,  Cowles,  Boyden,  Ram- 
sey, of  Carteret,  and  Lassiter. 

I  appointed  on  tlie  roads  a  few  Secessionists.  Strange 
is  one.  Best  may  be  another.  I  don't  know  whether 
Best  was  a  Secessionist  or  not.  I  did  not  re-appoint 
raeny  of  Holden's  directors,  because  they  had  no  stock. 
I  made  better  appointments. 

I  do  not  expect  a  man  of  your  intellig'^nce  and  fair- 
ness to  complain  of  my  appointment  of  Gov.  Bragg  as  a 
supervisor  of  the  Lunatick  Asylum.  I  selected  five  men 
distinguished  for  benevolence,  intelligence  and  their  per- 
sonal virtues.  I  did  not  care  for  their  political  antece- 
dents. 

If  on  a  candid  review  you  condemn  my  appointment 
I  shall  be  surprised. 

The  editor  of  the  Charlotte  Democrat  opposes  me  on 
the  ground  that  I  have  proscribed  Democrats. 

As  to  your  second   proposition   I  hold   that  the  Union 


COKRESPONDENCE    Ol*^    JONATHAN    \YoRTII.  813 

has  not  been  dissolved.  That  ISTorth  Carolina  is  in  the 
Union  and  entitled  to  the  benefits  of  the  Constitution  of 
the  Tj'.  S.  and  bound  to  obey  it.  If  not,  our  Genl.  A.  can- 
not ratify  an  amendment  to  the  Constitution. 

As  to  the  thij^d  proposition  that  the  Howard  amend- 
ment is  offered  to  us  as  a  condition  precedent  to  our  be- 
ing allowed  representation  in  Congress,  allow  me  to  say 
that  we  not  only  have  no  assurance  that  its  adoption  would 
induce  Congress  to  allow  us  representation,  hut  we  liave 
positive  evidence  to  the  contrary.  After  its  adoption  by 
Congress,  a  proposition  was  offered  that  whenever  a  State 
should  ratify  this  amendment,  such  State  should  be  al- 
lowed representation.  This  proposition  was  rejected. 
The  amendment  stands  before  us  therefore  for  adoption 
or  rejection  upon  its  merits  or  demerits.  I  don't  ap- 
prove it. 

When  the  Prest.  presented  his  plan  of  re-construction, 
the  whole  ISTorth  approved  it.  We  complied  with  all  the 
conditions.  After  we  had  complied.  Congress  refused  its 
sanction.  Before  we  make  further  amendments  let  us  be 
sure  their  adoption  will  relieve  us  from  our  thraldom. 

S:mithfield. 


To  Editors  of  the  National  Intelligencer. 

Kaleigii  Oct.  ^  1866. 
I  enclose  $10.  for  yr  paper  to  July  30th  1867  as  per 
your  notification  of  Sept.  20th  1866. 

You  wull  have  perceived  that  I  have  no  opposition  for  concerning  the 

'-  ^^  work  of  the  oppo- 

re-election  as  Govr.  Mr.  Holden's  nominee,  Genl  Dock-  sition. 
ery,  refusing  to  accept  the  nomination,  but  endorsing  the 
Howard  Amendment  as  a  condition  precedent  to  the  ad- 
mission of  our  representatives.  If  you  would  re-publish 
the  resolution  and  vote  thereon,  declaring  that  any  State 
adopting  this  amendment,  should  thereupon  be  entitled  to 
representation,  it  would  strengthen  the  friends     of     the 


814  XoKTII    CAROLliN'A    HiSTOKlCAL    COMMISSION. 

President.  JS'u  hvdy  liere  favors  the  ratiiicatioii  of  this 
aniendmoiit  per  se.  Some  of  our  people  are  so  anxious 
for  the  complete  restoration  to  our  relations  to  the  Union 
that  they  favor  the  adoption  of  this  amendment.  Some 
would  submit  to  any  humiliaticm  to  effect  this.  /  think 
we  ought  to  ratify  no  amendment  proposed  in  a  Con- 
gress in  which  we  are  denied  representation. 

Hoi  den  is  sending  tickets  over  the  State  exhorting  the 
people  to  vote  for  Dockery  for  Govr.,  as  a  better  Union 
man  than  I  am.  The  comparison  of  our  records  shows 
that  in  Dec.  18G0,  Genl  Dockery  and  I  being  Senators 
in  the  Genl  Assembly,  on  a  proposition  to  put  $300,000. 
into  the  hands  of  our  Secession  Govr,  to  ami  the  State, 
he  voted  for  the  proposition,  and  I  with  only  two  others, 
voted  against  it.  On  the  final  passage  of  the  bill  in  May 
1861,  calling  a  Convention, .  he  voted  for  and  I  voted 
against  it.  During  the  war,  when  events  forced  me  to 
elect  between  the  belli  gent  sections,  we  both  co-operated 
with  the  South,  but  I  deemed  it  consistent  with  my  fealty 
to  the  South  to  advocate  peace  on  the  basis  of  the  Union. 
He  repelled  the  idea  of  favoring  reconstruction. 

This  note  is  not  intended  for  publication,  but  simply 
to  call  your  attention  to  record  facts. 


Frotn  8.  S.  Jacl;so7i. 

AsiiROKO,  N.  C.  Oct.  5th  1866. 

aiidjfontgom^r'  ^  have  just  returned  from  Montgomery  County  with 
a  large  amount  of  business  on  my  table  requiring  atten- 
tion:— Genl.  Woub  and  Col.  Richardson  are  candidates 
for  the  Senate  in  Moore  and  Montgomery.  Richardson 
for  the  Haywood  Amendment  and  Woub  against  it.  Al- 
len Jordan  and  McAlister  are  candidates  for  Commons 
in  Montgomery.  The  first  for  H.  Amendment  and  the 
other  against  it.  It  is  thought  by  many,  that  Col. 
Rieliardson   and   Jordan  would  be  elected.     I  gave  your 


Correspondence  of  Jonathan  AVortii.  815 

tickets  for  Montgomery  to  Sheriff  McAuley,  he  is  a  good 
man,  and  will  distribute  them.  Your  tickets  for  Moore, 
I  ga^<.  to  Genl.  Woub.  I  think  you  will  get  a  good  vote 
in  Montgomery.  M.  S.  Eobins  and  Col.  Wrenn  are  can- 
vassing Alamance.  The  candidates  for  the  Commons  here 
are  Ashworth,  Blair,  Wm.  Cannon,  Wm.  Macon — ^Walker 
and  George  Black.  The  two  last  for  you  and  against  the 
Amendment ;  the  others  against  you  and  in  favor  of 
Amendment.  I  hope  our  County  is  all  right;  but  the 
prospects  are  a  little  gloomy.  The  Quakers  are  numerous 
here;  and  I  see  this  evening  that  Jon  Harris  of  Guilford 
is  for  the  Senate  and  the  H.  A  mendment  and  from  this,  I 
fear  the  Quahers  will  generally  follow.  I  will  write  again. 
Give  my  love  to  all. 


To  B.  S.  Hedrich. 

Raleigh  Oct.  5  1866. 

On  the  19th  May  last  Franklin  Thompson,  and  J.  W.  ?alSor°,Su. 
Thompson,  of  Onslow  County,  filed  their  petitions  for 
pardon  under  the  1st  Exception.  They  aver  that  they 
had  filed  a  petition  in  the  summer  of  1865 — The  pardons 
have  not  come  to  hand.  Please  try  to  get  them.  The 
parties  have  made  repeated  applications  for  them.  I 
think  the  omission  to  issue  them  is  attributable  to  over- 
sight or  other  accident,  as  their  pardon  has  been  uniformly 
recommended. 

Washington,  D.  C. 


To   WoitJi  cG  Daniel. 

Raleigh^  Oct.  6/66. 
Roxana  writes  me  that  she  had  39  lbs  of  cotton  in  the 
bale  you  lately  sold  for  W.  C.  Roberts  &  Co. — that  net 
proceeds  of  sale  in  your  hands  is  $114.30 — Of  this  sum 


816  Xoiu'ii   Carolina  Historical  Commission. 

l)lac'e  $12.U!>  to  licr  crcnlit,  and  1  liave  this  day  drawn  on 
you  at  sight  in  favor  of  J.  G.  Williams  &  Co.  for  the 
i)al.  $102.21. 

It  now  seems  I  am  to  be  re-elected  Govr  without  op- 
position, a  thing  which  has  not  happened  before  so  far 
as  I  know  in  the  history  of  the  State.  Considering  the 
extraordinary  difficulties  I  have  had  to  encounter  and  the 
untiring  efforts  of  Holden  and  his  followers  to  condemn 
everything  I  have  done  or  omitted,  I  highly  appreciate 
this  exhibition  of  confidence. 

I  am  gratified  to  hear  continually  of  your  continued 
success  in  business. 


To  T.  D.  Bnjson. 

Raleigh  Oct.  7,  1866. 

Yours  of  the  1st  inst.  is  just  to  hand.  I  reed  a  letter 
about  the  12th  of  last  month  a  letter  from  Mr.  Siler, 
and  soon  afterwards  other  letters  from  other  persons,  ask- 
ing my  construction  of  the  acts  of  the  last  session  of  the 
Genl  Assembly  in  relation  to  the  Tuckaseegee  &  Keowee 
Turnpike  Co.  In  reply  to  Mr.  Siler  I  said.  "I  am  not 
authorised  by  law  to  place  any  authentic  construction 
upon  these  laws;  but  being  willing  to  aid  you,  if  possi- 
ble, I  have  examined  the  acts.  The  legislative  will  is  so 
obscurely  expressed,  I  think  it  would  be  well  to  defer  ac- 
tion until  the  Genl  A.  shall  pass  an  explanatory  act.  I 
would  refer  the  matter  to  the  Att.  Genl  for  an  opinion, 
if  he  were  here.  He  is  on  his  circuit,  and  your  letter 
having  had  so  slow  a  passage,  and  feeling  confident  he 
would  endorse  the  course  suggested,  I  deem  it  best  to  an- 
swer at  once.  If  all  parties  shall  not  acquiesce  in  this 
course,  let  me  know,  and  I  will  ask  the  Att.  Genl  to  place 
a  construction  on  this  act". 

The  foregoing,  was  not  intended  as  "instructions". 
Soon  after  writing  it  I  reed  other  letters  on  the  subject 


CoRKESrOXDEiVCE    OF    JONATHAN    WoRTH,  817 

and  referred  Mr.  Siler's  and  all  the  other  letters  to  the 
Att  Genl.  lie  called  on  me  soon  afterwards  and  assured 
me  he  would  soon  file  his  opinion  in  writing.  He  has 
failed  to  do  so,  probably  because  his  duties  on  the  circuit 
would  not  pcnnit  him  to  do  so.  He  told  me,  from  the 
examination  he  had  then  given  the  subject  he  did  not 
thinlc  there  was  any  conflict  between  the  acts.  I  have 
not  had  time  to  give  deliberate  consideration  to  the  ques- 
tion : — and  if  I  had,  I  have  no  authority  to  give  Mr.  Siler 
any  instructions  on  the  subject — and  have  not  done  so. 

I  hear  of  very  few  Radicals  any  where  in  this  State — 
Holden  advises,  all  of  them  to  vote  for  Dockery,  and  I 
presume  they  will  do  so.  I  am  utterly  oi:)posed  to  the 
ratification  of  this  amendment, — the  Howard  amendment. 

Webster. 


To  P.  II.  ^Yinston. 

Raleigh    Oct.  8/66. 

Holden  and  his  followers  and  certain  Loyal  League  se-  prospects  of  the 
cret  political  co-workers  will  give  Genl  Dockery  all  the  °^^°*^  ^°°' 
votes  they  can — probably  about  as  many  as  he  would  have 
gotten  as  a  Candidate.     It  will  be  a  poor  showing,  but 
those  who  would  not  gape  for  the  Howard  amendment 
should  not  neglect  to  vote  for  me. 

Dr.  Ramsey  and  I  will  leave  here  on  Tuesday  morn- 
ing, Oct.  23rd,  by  the  R.  &  G.  R.  R.  to  visit  the  Albe- 
marle &  C.  Canal.     Where  shall  we  meet  you  ? 

Windsor. 


To  Marshall  Parks. 

Raleigh,  Oct.  8/66. 
I  and  my  board  of  Internal  Improvement  and  perhaps 
some  invited  friends  will  leave  here  by  the  R.  &  G.  R.  R. 
Vol.  2—11 


818  North  Carolina  Historical  Commission. 

on   Tuesday  morning,   Oct.    2oi\\.  to  make  the  excursion 
on  your  Canal  in  conformity  with  your  polite  invitation. 
"W'licie  are  we  to  meet  you  ? 
Norfolk.  Va. 


7'o  Dr.  J.  G.  Ramsey. 

Raleigh,  Oct.  8/60. 

I  have  written  to  Messrs  Winston  &  Parks  that  we  will 
leave  here  by  the  R.  &  G.  train,  on  Tuesday  morning 
Oct.  2.'5rd,  to  make  the  excursion  on  the  Albemarle  and 
C.  Canal.     "Will  you  be  on  hand  ? 

RowAis"  Mills. 


From  David  L.  Saunders. 

Beaufort,  X.  C.  Oct.  9th  1866. 

tions^in  CMteret  "^®  ^^^  doubtlcss  anticipate  strong  opposition  in  this 
county,  I  have  thought  it  proper  to  write  to  you  to  inform 
you  that  your  friends  are  active  and  fully  alive  to  their 
duty.  With  the  exception  of  Dr.  Arendell  and  Mr.  W.  I. 
Doughty  the  leading  men  in  this  county  irrespective  of 
former  political  predelictions  are  your  warm  supporters. 
Such  men  as  Col.  Perry,  E.  L.  Bell,  Esq.,  and  others  who 
take  an  interest  in  politics,  are  all  earnestly  advocating 
your  election.  I  do  not  think  the  disaffection  extends  be- 
yond ]\[orehead  City,  and  if  so,  only  to  a  limited  extent. 
The  Sheriff  of  this  County  has  taken  decided  grounds  in 
your  favor.  Be  assured  that  those  who  oppose  you  are 
in  a  hopeless  minority  and  will  meet  with  certain  defeat. 
You  may  rely  upon  Carteret.  Col.  Perry  will  be  elected 
to  the  Ho.  of  Commons  beyond  doubt,  and  I  think  Mr. 
Krionce  will  go  to  the  Senate.  Bell  and  Koonce,  candi- 
dates for  the  Senate,  are  both  for  you;  indeed  it  would 
l)c  ])olitical  death  for  cither  to  oppose  you.     Personal  dis- 


Correspondence  of  Jonathan  Worth.  819 

appointments  and  antipathies  cannot  influence  men  when 
great  "principles  are  at  stake.  The  friends  of  Johnson 
must  be  sustained  and  the  Howard  Amendment  and  its 
advocates  voted  down. 

I  have  taken  the  liberty  of  writing  to  vou  because  the 
times  are  encouraging  and  I  am  anxious  for  you  to  know 
that  your  interests  are  safe  in  this  County.  I  regret  that 
I  am  not  acquainted  with  you,  yet  as  a  friend,  I  have 
ventured  to  address  you.  As  a  Carteret  County  man. 
deeply  imbued  with  l^orth  Carolina  patriotism,  I  cordially 
approve  your  Administration,  and  were  I  disposed  to 
render  the  least  objection  to  you  it  would  only  arise  from 
your  partiality  to  your  old  political  friends,  when  the 
great  body  of  the  old  line  Democrats  are  equally  as  zeal- 
ous in  your  support.  I  would  prefer  to  see  no  distinction 
when  we  should  all  know^  each  other  as  conservative  men 
and  patriots,  and  not  as  Democrats  or  Whigs.  We  shall 
do  our  duty  and  you  may  expect  a  good  report  from  this 
County. 


Tu  J.  Keener. 


Raleigh,  Oct.  9/66. 

I  reed  today  a  letter  from  Mr.  Thomas,  another  from 
Mr.  Bryson,  and  also  yours. 

I  did  not  give  Mr.  Siler  any  "instructions"  but  sug- 
gested whether,  with  the  concurrence  of  all  parties,  action 
could  not  be  suspended  until  further  action  making  plain 
the  A\dll  of  the  Genl  Assembly.  The  last  sentence  of  my 
letter  is  in  these  words.  "If  all  ]:)arties  shall  not  acquiesce 
in  this  course,  let  me  know  and  I  will  ask  the  Att.  Genl 
to  place  a  construction  on  the  Acts." — I  have  not  heard 
from  him  since : — but  having  received  other  letters  on 
the  subject,  I  soon  afterwards  referred  all  the  letters  to 
the  Att.  Genl.  He  has  been  on  his  circuit  and  has  not 
filed  an  opinion.  I  hope  to  get  his  answer  soon  and  will 
immediatelv   forward   it. 


820  XoiiTii   Carolina  Historical   Commission. 

I  have  no  authority  to  give  any  instructions  to  Mr. 
Siler  on  the  subject  and  in  my  letter  to  him  expressly 
disclaimed  any  such  power. 

I  regret  that  my  action  has  been  misunderstood. 

Hoping  Radicalism  will  receive  little  countenance  in  IST. 
C.  and  that  you  and  all  the  friends  of  the  President's 
policy  may  be  sustained  by  the  people. 

Webster. 


To  S.  S.  Jachson. 

Raleigh  Oct.  10/66. 
-:f  *****  * 

The  Howard  It  will  be  a  rcproach  on  Randolph  if  the  people  vote 

amendment.  . 

for  Dockery  as  a  better  Union  man  than  I.  I  am,  as  a 
Union  man,  as  much  opposed  to  the  Howard  amendment, 
as  I  was  opposed  to  Secession  in  1860. 

The  Prest.  is  probably  not  sustained  in  any  of  the 
N'orthern  States.  This  in  no-wise  changed  my  views  as 
to  the  action  it  will  be  proper  for  this  State  to  pursue. 
We  ought  to  sustain  or  reject  the  Howard  amendment 
upon  its  merits,  and  retain  our  self-respect.  Further  un- 
becoming concession  can  only  beget  contempt. 

Dockery's  vote  will  not  be  large — ^Mary  and  her  ma. 
went  to  Wilmingion  last  Monday. — Daniel  writes  us  that 
Mary  had  chill  on  the  way — followed  by  fever.  I  have 
much  solicitude  about  her.  She  was  apparently  improv- 
ing when  she  left.  She  took  a  fancy  to  attend  the  Tour- 
nament in  Fayetteville.  I  consented  as  I  always  do  and 
now  regret  it.  Dr.  McKee  was  confident  as  to  her  im- 
proving condition  when  she  left. 


Correspondence  of  Jonathan  Worth.  821 

To  Henry  M.  Earle. 

Kaleigh,  Oct.  10th  1866. 

Your  letter  directs  my  attention  to  a  subject  on  which 
I  have  heretofore  bestowed  no  consideration.  I  would 
gladly  examine  the  Act  of  the  S.  C.  Legislature  to  which 
jou  refer.  Can  you  give  me  the  date  of  its  passage  ?  On 
more  thorough  consideration  I  may  deem  it  expedient  to 
adopt  your  suggestion. 

Wtiiteville. 


From  D.  H.  Starhuch. 

Salem  Oct.  10th  1866. 
Your  letter  of  the  29th  ulto  I  found  at  home  on  my  Political  condi- 

*'    tions  in  Forsyth. 

return  from  Davidson  Court ;  and  no  doubt  you  have 
thought  strange  in  not  receiving  from  me  an  earlier  ac- 
knowledgement of  the  same. 

Things  in  this  and  adjoining  counties  are  going  all 
right.  If  Genl.  Dockery  had  accepted  Forsyth  County 
would  have  given  you  4  to  his  1. 

The  Union  men  of  this  county  have  an  abiding  con- 
fidence in  your  Union  principles.  They  are  fully  posted 
of  your  Union  sentiments  during  the  war,  and  .they  can- 
not be  induced  to  believe  by  the  Staiiclard  that  you  would 
forsake  your  old  friends  and  life  long  Union  principles 
because  such  voted  for  you  in  preference  to  a  man  who 
had  been  as  mean  as  they  and  who  had  deserted  them  in 
the  hour  when  he  saw  that  there  was  no  hope  for  suc- 
cess for  them.  Besides  your  high  character  for  integrity 
and  known  and  decided  opinions  against  repudiation 
would  induce  all  honest  men  of  all  parties  to  support  you 
in  preference  to  one  whose  only  principle  on  this  subject 
is  to  pander  to  a  dishonest  principle  to  get  votes.  Peter 
A  "Wilson  and  Elijah  B.  Teagiie  will  be  elected  in  Com- 
mons in  this  County  by  a  large  majority  because  they 


822  North  Carolina  Historical  Commission. 

oppose  the  corrupt  and  dainuable  doctrine  of  repudiation 
while  Charles  Teague  has  become  Allspaugh's  candidate  in 
f;iv(ir  of  repudiation  ('V(>n  of  private  debts.  Our  State 
is  sulfering  more  from  the  utter  prostration  of  her  finances 
than  for  any  other  cause.  Her  banks  that  prior  to  the 
war  furnished  $7,000,000  of  sound  currency  have  been 
ruined  by  repudiation,  and  our  people  not  only  impov- 
erished to  that  amount,  but  by  destroying  that  amount  of 
currency  it  has  reduced  the  value  of  land  in  ]S[.  C.  at  least 
one  half,  making  a  loss  to  the  people  of  the  State  in  this 
one  item  of  not  less  than  fifty  millions  of  dollars.  If  your 
recommendation  on  the  subject  of  banks  last  winter  had 
been  adopted  it  would  have  surely  saved  us  much.  I  hope 
our  public  ofiicials  will  not  lose  sight  of  these  things  and 
the  next  Legislature  be  able  to  devise  some  plan  to  rescue 
the  countrv  from  further  financial  ruin. 


To  B.  S.  Iledrich 

Kaleigh,  Oct.  11/66. 

On  the  22  July  1865,  the  books  in  this  ofiice  show  that 
the  petition  of  L.  H.  Sanders  for  pardon  was  forwarded 
with  the  favorable  recommendation  of  Govr.  Holden.  He 
held  a  petty  oifice — apt.  by  the  Collector  in  the  County 
of  Johnston.  His  pardon  was  advertised  as  granted  by 
Govr.  Holden.  Mr.  Sanders,  now  present,  avers  that  he 
has  never  received  his  pardon.  It  has  not  been  reed  by 
me. 

He  is  a  truly  worthy  man — never  a  Secessionist. 

Try  to  get  his  pardon. 

"Washixgtox,  D.  C. 


I 


CoKRESPOXDI<:>;CE    OF    JOXATIIAX    WORTH.  823 

To  B.  S.  ITedrlcl: 

JRat.eigh,  Oct.  12  ISGO. 
Ill  the  summer  of  18G5,  Willis  Wbitakcr,  Wake,  affed  Par<io"  recom- 

'        _  /  .       o        mendation. 

75  years,  who  supposed  he  might  be  worth  $20,000  tiled 
his  petition  for  pardon.  He  is  a  quiet  good  citizen  and 
I  can  conceive  no  reason  why  Govr.  Holden  declined  to 
recommend  his  pardon.  He  is  very  anxious  about  it.  I 
recommend  his  pardon. 

I  also  recommend  the  pardon  of  W.  A.  Darden  and 
A.  D.  Speight,  both  of  Greene  County,  the  former  a  tax 
collector  and  the  latter  assessor  of  Confederate  taxes — and 
guilty  of  nothing  else.  Their  petitions  were  filed  in  the 
summer  of  1865  and  suspended  by  advice  of  Gov.  Holden. 

Washington,  J).  C. 


To  J.  M.  Parrott. 

Raleigh  Oct.  12/60. 
Holden  is  rallying  his  friends  to  vote  for  Dockery.  He 
will  probably  get  as  many  votes  as  if  he  were  a  regular 
candidate.  I  hope  my  friends  will  take  care  that  as  many 
votes  are  cast  as  possible.  The  people,  unfortunately  are 
growing  indifferent  to  elections.  This  tends  to  the  over- 
throw of  popular  government. 

KlNSTON. 


From  J.   ^y.  Alspaiigh. 

Winston  Is\  C.  Oct.  16th  1S66. 
Enclosed  please  find  a  Power  of  Att,  upon  which  please  pontics  in  Forsyth 
afiLx  your  certificate  as  to  D.  G.  Fowle  being  a  Judge  of 
the  Superior  Court  of  Law  and  Equity  in  our  State,  and 


824  North  Carolina  Historical  Commission. 

reliirn  the  same  with  a  statement  of  the  requisite  fee  in 
such  cases,  and  I  will  at  once  enclose. 

My  notion  is  that  you  will  carry  the  country  here  again 
hy  a  large  majority,  but  the  Radicals  will  no  doubt  vote 
for  Dockery.  I  have  pursued  such  a  course  in  the  canvass 
as  I  deemed  best  for  our  cause.  The  "Red  Strings"  or 
Radicals  here  have  taken  a  strong  hold,  and  under  the 
management  of  such  men  as  D.  H.  Starbuck  and  Mr. 
Masten,  Sheriff  of  the  County,  and  I.  T.  Leak  who  op- 
poses Johnson's  administration  they  will  in  my  opinion 
damage  your  majority  in  the  county.  Indeed,  they  confi- 
dently expect  to  elect  E.  B.  Teagnie  and  D.  A.  Wilsoi) 
the  nominees  of  the  radical  party  for  this  district  au<l  I 
shall  not  be  surprised  if  they  succeed  in  accomplishing 
their  designs. 

If  the  Howard  Amendment  is  adopted  my  impression 
is  that  the  Southern  States  will  again  be  thrown  back  into 
a   territorial   condition. 


To  J.    ^y.   IIliil's  mid  Company. 

Raleigh  Oct.  17  1866. 

In  reply  to  yours  of  the  13th  inst.,  I  have  pleasure  in 
saying  that  I  am  personally  acquainted  with  Joseph  D. 
Cannon,  Dr.  Thos.  D.  Hogg  and  Ceo.  W.  Swepson.  Each 
of  them  is  regarded  as  a  man  of  substantial  means  and 
good  business  character.  In  our  impoverished  state  they 
are  regarded  as  wealthy.  I  have  no  doubt  as  to  their 
performance  of  any  contract  they  may  make. 

Bridgeport,  Coxx. 


CORKESPOXDENCE    OF    JONATHAN    WoRTII.  825 

To  A.  Miller} 

Ealeigh  Oct.  18  1866. 

I  learn  that  the  contractor  for  carrying  the  mail  from  ^laii  facilities, 
this  jjlace  to  Fayette ville  proposes  to  change  his  routes, 
going  and  returning  on  the  East  Side  of  the  Cape  Fear 
river — crossing  the  river  at  Fayetteville  instead  of  cross- 
ing it  at  McXeill's  Ferry  some  24  miles  this  side  of  Fay- 
etteville. The  effect  of  this  change  would  be  the  discon- 
tinuance of  the  two  offices,  MclSTeill's  Ferry  and  Millgrove 
on  the  west  side  of  the  river,  which  are  the  two  offices 
from  which  the  county  seat  and  the  greater  part  of  Har- 
nett County  is  supplied.  The  Court  House  is  on  the 
West  side  of  the  river  and  would  be  a  post  excluded  from 
mail  facilities,  if  the  proposed  change  of  route  be  made, 
the  river  not  being  fordable  and  the  ferries  all  charging 
toll. 

The  present  route  is  shorter  by  five  miles  than  the  route 
crossing  the  river  on  the  bridge  at  Fayetteville,  and  for 
the  winter,  as  I  believe,  a  better  road  and  the  detention 
of  crossing  the  river  at  the  ferry  is  more  than  balanced 
by  the  increased  length  of  the  route  on  the  East  side  of 
the  River. 

I  hope  the  route  will  not  be  changed,  at  all  events  until 
some  other  poste  route  be  established  by  which  the  Court 
House  in  Harnett  can  be  supplied  with  the  mail. 

It  is  represented  to  me  that  on  the  route  East  of  the 
River,  for  thirty  six  miles  this  side  of  Fayetteville,  no 
post  master  has  been  appointed  and  qualified,  unless  it 
has  been  very  recently  done. 

I  think  the  public  interest  forbids  the  proposed  change 
of  route  and  hope  you  will  deem  it  your  duty  to  use  your 
influence  to  prevent  it,  until  the  matter  shall  have  been 
fully  considered. 

Raleigh. 


The  postmaster  at  Raleigh. 


826  North  Carolina  Historical  Commission. 

To  General  G.  J.  Bains. 

Raleigh,  Oct.  20t]i  1S(JG. 

Yours  of  the  24th  \\\t.  reached  here  in  my  absence  from 
the  city,  and  owing  to  accumulated  business  and  inade- 
quate clerical  force,  my  answer  has  been  too  long  deferred. 

The  office  of  Adj.  Geiil.,  if  your  application  had  reached 
me,  ^Yhicll  it  did  not,  \yould  not  have  suited  you,  the  salary 
being  only  $200. 

I  forward  your  letter  of  Gov.  Swain,  Prest.  of  our 
University, — but  fear  there  is  no  vacancy  which  would 
suit  you. 

Hoping  that  Providence  has  brighter  days  in  reserve 
for  you ; 


From  E.  B.  Dral-e. 
Statesville,  X.  C.  October  24/66 
Election  results  in       J  regret  to  havc  to  sav  that  news  has  been  received  here 

Wilkes.  ^5 

from  Wilkes  that  the  notorious  C.  J.  Cowles  has  been 
elected  over  0.  H.  Hill  by  a  majority  of  4  votes.  There 
is  ground  to  hope  that  Mr.  Hill  will  contest  his  seat,  and 
that  the  election  will  be  referred  back  to  the  people,  at 
least.  There  is  not  the  least  room  to  doubt  that  gross 
fraud  w^as  perpetrated  at  one  or  two  boxes  in  Wilkes  in 
behalf  of  Cowles. 

Mr.  Hill  is  one  of  the  best  and  most  worthy  men — 
unexceptional  in  all  respects — that  I  am  acquainted  with. 
His  defeat  in  any  manner  is  to  be  deplored. 

'^D.  D."  Dockery — while  might  now  be  rendered  Dead 
Dockery,  is  no  doubt  satisfied. 


Correspondence  of  Jonathan  Worth.  827 

To  Daniel  L.  Bussell. 

Ealeigh  Oct.  29/66. 

During  my  recent  absence  from  the  city  your  letter  of 
the  2ord  inst  reached  here. 

I  have  to-day  addressed  a  letter  to  Genl  Robinson  to 
ask  his  views  on  the  question  of  binding  minor  children 
of  color  as  apprentices.  Col.  Bumford  is  superseded  by 
the  return  of  Genl  Robinson.  I  shall  not  be  surprised  if 
it  leads  to  considerable  correspondence.  As  soon  as  the 
matter  assumes  a  definite  form  I  will  write  you  the  ruling. 

Shoe  Heel. 


To  James  Kyle. 

Raleigh  Oct.  29  1866. 
Yours  of  the  2ord  inst.  is  received. 
Owing  to  the  extreme  dry  sununer  much  of  the  State,  de-  Ecouomic  prostra- 

.  .      tion  in  North 

pendence  on  grain  crops,  will  be  very  hard  run  to  obtain  Carolina, 
subsistence  until  another  crop  can  be  made.  The  wheat 
crop  was  a  sad  failure.  In  the  portions  of  the  State 
where  grain  is  the  staple  production  there  is  almost  no 
money.  It  will  be  with  terrible  difficulty  that  the  people 
can  pay,  in  addition  to  U.  S.  taxes,  the  necessary  amount 
to  defray  the  current  expenses  of  the  State  and  the 
enormous  expenses  of  the  Counties  in  supporting  the  poor, 
paying  the  expenses  of  the  insolvent  convicts,  etc.,  makes 
it  out  of  the  question  to  impose  a  tax  this  year  to  pay 
the  interest  on  the  State  debt.  I  presume  an  Act  will 
be  passed  authorising  the  issue  of  new  bonds  in  place  of 
overdue  Coupons  and  such  bonds  as  shall  fall  due  for 
the  next  year — and  possibly  for  the  next  two  years  as 
the  Genl  Assembly  meets  bi-ennially. 

As  to  the  ultimate  redemption  of  paying  interest  and 
the  pa^Tuent  of  our  bonds  as  they  fall  due  I  can  only 
say  that  I  am  utterly  opposed  to  repudiation  in  any  form, 


828  North  Cakolina  Historical  Commission. 

but  I  think  the  mass  of  our  people  will  not  consent  to 
be  taxed  to  meet  the  interest  until  we  shall  be  allowed  on 
honorable  terms  representation  in  Congress.  Our  people, 
under  the  action  of  the  North  towards  us,  are  growing  in- 
different as  to  all  governmental  matters.  Not  half  our 
people  voted  at  our  late  election. 
New  York  Citv. 


To  James  Hay. 

Kaleigii  Oct.  31  1800. 

The  question  which  you  pr()})Ound  is  a  purely  legal  one 
to  which  I  can  give  no  authoritative  answer  as  Governor. 

Personally  I  entertain  no  doubt  that  a  constable,  who 
has  not  taken  the  oath  of  amnesty  required  in  the  proc- 
lamation of  the  President  of  the  25th  May  1805,  is  not 
now,  by  reason  of  that  omission,  ineligible.  If  othervvise 
eligible  and  duly  elected  and  qualified,  I  think  you  are 
bound  to  recognize  his  official  acts  as  valid.  • 

Boox  Hill. 


To  Daniel  L.  Russell. 

Kaleigh  Oct.  31/60. 

I  inqlose  to  you  a  copy  of  my  letter  to  Genl  Robinson, 
and  a  copy  of  his  answer  just  received,  from  which  you 
will  perceive  that  no  redress  is  to  be  obtained  from  Genl 
Robinson.  I  shall  send  a  copy  of  the  correspondence  to 
the  Prest.  of  the  U.  S.,  in  the  hope  of  some  relief — but 
I  am  not  confident  he  will  interfere.  I  presume  he  will 
refer  me  to  the  Courts. 

Please  answer  as  to  the  facts  Genl  Robinson  sets  forth. 

Shoe  Heel. 


CORRESPO^'DEXCE    OF    JONATIIAJST    WoUTIl.  82i) 

From-  D.  F.  Caldwell. 

Green.sbouo  iSr.  C.  Nov.  2  18(j(j. 
I  have  iust  returned  from  the  Mt.  Vernon  Springs  Con-  conditionsin 

''  X-         o  >orth  Carolina. 

ventiou  in  Chatham.  They  had  a  very  fine  meeting,  had 
considerable  conversation  and  some  interesting  speeches 
and  passed  a  preamble  and  resolutions — a  little  high  fu- 
looting  but  as  they  were  drawn  up  by  Mr.  McCoy  of  Fay- 
etteville  we  did  not  think  it  prudent  to  offer  any  amend- 
ment, to  strip  them  of  their  verbiage,  etc.  I  hope  you 
will  do  all  you  can  for  us  in  the  next  Legislature.  The 
truth  is  the  road  will  come  to  a  perfect  standstill,  if  it 
does  not  rot  down,  if  it  is  left  as  it  now  is.  It  should  by 
all  means  be  extended  to  the  N.  C.  R.  R.  This  can  and 
will  be  done  if  the  mortgage  the  state  holds  on  the  road 
is  lifted  and  the  state  takes  the  amount  she  has  subscribed 
in  stock,  and  then  gives  the  company  the  power  to  mort- 
gage the  road  for  funds  to  complete  it,  with  what  stock 
we  can  get  along  the  line,  etc.,  etc.  The  Road  completed 
to  the  ]Sr.  C.  R.  R.  it  will  give  us  a  line  by  Rail  and  River 
to  Wilmington,  by  the  coal  fields  and  ore  banks  and  iron 
works  in  Chatham  of  225  miles  that  cannot  fail  to  prove 
profitable  and  of  great  practical  advantage  to  a  large  sec- 
tion of  the  state;  especially  the  many  agricultural  and 
manufacturing  interests  of  the  state.  This  being  the  case 
I  feel  confident  you  will  not  be  slow  to  avail  yourself  of 
all  your  influences  and  position  to  aid  in  its  completion, 
etc.  I  have  never  seen  such  roads  before  in  my  life,  they 
are  absolutely  almost  impassable.  I  have  done  my  best 
in  this  county,  and  though  I  have  got  ours  in  some  bet- 
ter condition  than  I  find  them  in  Randolph  and  Chatham, 
still  they  are  in  bad  condition,  and  under  the  present  sys- 
tem they  cannot  be  worked.  When  we  indict  an  over- 
seers v/e  find  there  is  no  fixed  district  etc  and  they  get 
off  at  the  cost  of  the  county.  I  am  clearly  of  the  opinion 
that  all  the  counties  of  the  state  should  be  laid  off  in  town- 
ships of  ten  miles  square  or  something  like  that.     That 


830  North  Carolina  Historical  Commission. 

these  townships  should  be  named  by  the  county  courts 
when  laid  off.  That  in  the  center  of  each  should  be  an 
election  precinct  and  that  a  certain  number  of  magistrates, 
road  and  school  commissioners  and  perhaps  agricultural 
commissioners  should  be  appointed  or  elected  by  the  Leg- 
islature or  county  courts  or  by  the  people  and  no  wore. 
We  can  never  keep  down  the  number  of  magistrates  in 
any  other  way.  This  is  as  certain  as  it  is  important.  The 
road  commissioners  should  have  the  power  to  apportion  all 
the  hands  and  assign  them  to  their  respective  roads  and 
appoint  the  overseares  and  return  them  to  the  county 
courts  to  be  recorded  in  this  way.  The  bad  roads  which 
is  frequently  in  hilly  and  poor  parts  of  the  county  and 
where  there  is  but  a  spare  population,  could  get  hands 
to  keep  them  in  something  like  passable  order.  We  have 
in  this  county  some  very  bad  roads  where  this  is  but  a 
very  few  hands  while  on  others,  where  there  we  have  nat- 
urally good  roads,  there  is  some  20  or  25  hands.  While 
today  I  passed  over  five  miles  of  the  roughest  road  I  ever 
saw  and  the  oversears  (in  Randolph)  had  but  3  hands. 
And  he  told  me  he  had  tried  to  ke^p  up  the  road  with 
these  but  found  it  impossible  to  do  so.  These  sugges- 
tions (though  they  may  seem  to  be  a  small  matter  to  you) 
I  am  confident  are  of  vast  importance  to  the  public.  Mr. 
Swaim,  our  County  Court  Clerk,  has  talked  to  me  a  great 
deal,  with  others,  and  has  pressed  upon  me  to  call  your 
attention.  I  have  also  conversed  with  several  gentlemen,  in 
other  states  who  concur  in  opinion  that  there  is  no  other 
plan  to  remedy  our  defective  system  but  the  Township 
plan  that  has  been  adopted  by  nearly  all  the  other  States. 
By  thus  having  a  central  point  to  vote  and  transact  all 
the  business  of  the  to^vnship,  we  can  soon  get  up  a  com- 
petition and  emulation  among  them — by  offering 
premiums  if  no  other  way  to  the  to-\^Tiship  that  has  the 
best  roads  the  best  schools  the  best  agricultural  society  and 
the  least  crime  or  criminals  in  it,  etc.  I  have  been  as- 
sured  that  it  is  in  this  way  that  the  people  in  many  of 


CoEKESPOIvDENCE    0¥    JONATHAN    WoKTH.  831 

the   otl'^r   states   have   managed   to   get   up   and    difuse   a 
helthv  public  and  patriotic  spirit   among  all   classes     of 
their  inhabitants — even  among  the  children  at  school.     I 
am  confident  that  it  would  not  fail  to  do  such  for  us  in  I^. 
C.     And  most  assuredly  we  need  something  of  the  kind. 
Our  people   are   well   nigh   heart   broken,    their    children 
growing  up  in  ignorance,  the  older  sons  emigrating  to  the 
w^est,  and  leaving  their  old  dejected     and     impoverished 
parents  behind  them,  many  of  them  to  end  their  days  in 
the  poor  houses  of  the  state  if  their  sorrows  do  not  carry 
them  to  premature  graves.     I  hope  you  will  think  of  these 
things  and  recommend  the  revival  of  our  schull  beginning 
agricultural  societies,   and  the  appointing  of  magistrates, 
commissioners  for  roads,   etc.,  in  every  township  of  the 
state.     It  can  do  no  harm  and  I  believe  will  do  great  good 
as  has  been  the  result  in  all  the  other  states.     We  need 
organization  and  more  attention  to  county  and  state  mat- 
ters, and  this  is  the  only  feasible  plan.     AVe  must  begin 
to  difuse  life  and  energy  among  the  people.     We  must 
begin  at  the  foundation  and  educate  the  people  by  letting 
the  boys  have  a  chance  to  act  as  constables,  coroners,  com- 
missioners, magistrates,  etc.  etc.  there  is  too  much  family 
favoritism  in  all  our  appointments.     Too  many  drunken 
men,  etc.   aj^pointed.     Let  the  districts  like    Alfred    did 
the  hundreds — attend  to  their  own  neighborhood   aifairs 
and  if  they  do  not  attend  to  it  well — let  them  suffer  the 
penalties  of  the  law  and  the  reproach  and  disgrace  that 
wull  surely  fall  upon  them.     When  this  course  is  pursued 
then  we  will  soon  see  a  change  and  not  before.     Another 
thing  should  be  done  all  persons  convicted  of  high  mis- 
demeanors and  crimes  should  be  put  to  work  on  our  roads, 
streets,  or  making  brick  as  Maryland  did  before  she  had 
a  penatentary  indeed  it  was  in  this  way  she  built  and  paid 
for  her  penatentary.      Our  jail   is  crowded    now    having 
less  than  18  or  20  in  it  for  crimes  and  costs,  etc.     But  I 
have  no  time  to  sav  more. 


832  XoRTii  Carolina  Histokicai.  Commission. 

From  Daniel  L'usscll. 

KoEEsox  City  Nov.  Jfth  1866. 
Apprentice  cases.  Your  favours  of  the  29th  and  31st  ultimo  has  been 
reed,  in  your  last  you  state  that  you  would  enclose  a  copy 
of  your  letter  to  Gen.  Robinson  and  his  answer  and  re- 
quested me  to  answer  as  to  the  facts  Gen.  Robinson  sets 
forth.  You  must  have  made  a  mistake  as  no  copy  of  your 
letter  or  answer  from  Genl.  Robinson  was  enclosed  in 
your  letter  of  the  31st,  nor  have  I  received  any.  I  regret 
that  I  have  not  received  the  statements  made  by  Genl. 
Robinson,  as  I  am  desirous  of  knowing  what  facts  he  sets 
forth,  or  what  he  pretends  to  be  facts.  I  am  very  anxious 
to  know  what  course  is  to  be  pursued.  There  has  been 
a  habeas  corpus  issued  by  Judge  Gillam  at  the  instance 
of  a  negro  who  professes  to  be  the  Step  Father  of  some 
children  bound  by  the  County  Court  of  Robeson  at  Aug. 
term.  The  writ  was  returned  at  the  last  Superior  Court 
at  Lnmberton  before  Judge  Gillam  and  he  decided  the 
Court  had  a  right  to  bind  the  children  and  I  was  entitled 
to  have  them.  Judge  French  who  appeared  for  the  negro 
man  took  an  appeal  to  the  Supreme  Court.  But  after  I 
left  Lnmberton  my  counsel  Mr.  McL.  McRay  agreed  with 
Judge  French  that  they  would  argue  the  case  again  and 
that  I  could  make  another  reply  to  the  writ.  Judge 
Gillam  told  me  at  Smithville  that  I  would  have  to  be  at 
Fayetteville  while  he  was  there  holding  Court  which  will 
set  tomorrow  week  and  perhaps  about  the  15th  I  will 
be  there  to  let  the  case  be  argued  over.  I  have  no  fears 
as  to  the  Judges  decision  unless  the  miserable  Bureau 
should  interfere.  I  have  not  met  with  any  one  who  seems 
to  know  what  powers  are  given  to  the  agents  of  the  Freed- 
mans  Bureau  in  relation  to  apprenticing  coloured  chil- 
dren, or  any  other  powers.  I  am  satisfied  they  have  as- 
sumed powers  not  given  in  the  law.  I  have  just  written 
to  the  Editors  of  the  National  Intelligencer  and  requested 
them  to  send  me  a  certified  copy  of  the  Freedmans  Bureau 


COKKESPONDENCE    OF    Joi!^ATHAX    WoKTH.  833 

bill  or  both  bills  wliich  has  been  passed  bj  Congress.  I 
am  determined  to  carry  the  matter  out  and  keep  the  ap- 
prentices if  there  is  any  law  to  justify  me.  If  the  Presi- 
dent refers  you  to  the  Civil  Courts  I  should  think  the 
Bureau  would  not  have  jurisdiction  in  such  cases.  How 
does  this  man  Robinson  get  over  his  letter  to  you  last  July 
in  which  he  stated  all  matters  were  turned  over  to  the 
Courts  of  the ,  State.  I  am  very  much  concerned  about 
these  matters  and  I  am  tired  of  being  trifled  with  by  such 
fellows  as  are  put  in  authority  in  this  State  as  agents  of 
the  Bureau. 


From  C.  H.  Wiley. 

Greensboro^  jST.  C.  Nov.  10th  1866. 

I  take  the  liberty  of  enclosing  a  memorandum  to  which 
I  invite  your  special  attention. 

I  know  your  interest  in  the  matter  in  question — &  this, 
its  intrinsic  importance,  &  the  attention  I  have  long  given 
to  it  are  my  excuses  for  writing. 

\_Enclosure.'\ 

Page  I. 

Memorandum,  in  Regard  to  the  Swamp  lands. 

(1) 

1.  Let  the  Legislature  exempt  them  from  taxation  for  Act  of  Assembly  to 

■^  be  passed. 

10  or  15  years. 

2.  Let  the  Legislature  vest  in  the  Literary  Board  full 
authority  to  examine,  to  perfect  titles,  to  ascertain  the 
amount,  location  and  quality  of  the  lands,  and  to  improve, 
test  and  sell  limiting  the  Board  to  an  annual  expenditure 
of,  say  not  more  than  $3000  or  $1000  per  annum,  from 
the  General  School  Fund,  and  requiring  all  other  expenses 
to  come  from  the  lands. 

Vol.  2—12 


834  NoKTH  Carolina  Historical  Commission. 

3.  Let  the  Board  have  power  to  bargain  with  private 
parties  for  drainage  or  cultivation,  or  settling,  or  experi- 
ments, by  taking  parties  into  co-partnership,  the  private 
parties  to  pay  expenses,  etc, 

4,  To  enable  the  Board  to  carry  out  these  powers  au- 
thorize it  to  appoint  a 

Commissione)'  of  School  Lands,  &  Secretary  of  Board. 
of  Literature. 

(11) 
Commissioner  of  School  lands,  &  Secretary  of  Board 
of  Literature. 

Commissioner  of  Let  it  be  the  dutv  of  this  agent  or  officer 

school  lands.  .  /iiii  ir^iiT 

Duties  of.  1,    lo  ascertain  what  lands  belong  to  the  School  Fund, 

where  located,  state  of  the  title,  and  character  of  the  lands, 
and  extent,  and  present  condition. 

2.  To  have  small  maps  constructed  from  old  surveys, 
of  each  body,  showing  its  position  in  the  State.  (Old 
maps  of  surveys  have  no  county  boundaries.) 

3.  To  register  the  lands  and  maps,  with  a  description  of 
each  body. 

4.  To  perfect  titles,  and  where  lands  have  never  been 
surveyed,  to  have  this  done,  if  possible. 

5.  To  call  attention,  at  home  and  abroad,  to  the  lands. 
invite  examinations   and   solicit  bids. 

6.  To  engage  private  parties  to  drain,  improve,  test  or 
cultivate  the  lands  by  offering  an  interest  in  them,  or 
giving  parts  of  them,  etc,  etc. 

T.  To  engage  persons  especially  to  drain  and  cultivate 
parts  of  the  Open  Ground  Prairie  (What  this  land  wants 
is  parl-ing.  'SVhen  it  is  plowed  a  few  years  the  vegetable 
mould  will  sink  and  pack,  sand  will  be  found  a  few  inches 
below,  and  will  mix  with  it.) 

8.   To  sell  timber,  keep  off  poachers,  etc. 


Correspondence  of  Jonathan  Worth.  835 

(III) 

Supervision  of  Literary  Board. 

The  Literary  Board  to  consent  to  all  contracts,  receive  Literary  Board, 
and  expend  all  moneys,  sign  all  deeds,  etc.,  etc. 

Finally.  The  Commissioner  and  Secretary  of  the 
Board  to  endeavor  to  keep  the  machinery  and  the  Spirit 
of  the  Com  Schools  alive — to  keep  the  public  in  hope — -to 
enlighten  it  as  to  the  means  of  education,  to  devise  plans 
and  to  stimulate  and  call  out  public  opinion. 

The  Act  authorizing  all  the  above  can  be  made  very  secretary  of  Board, 
brief.     Those  things  need  not   all  be  stated  in  the  law. 
They  are  stated  above  to  show  my  views  of  what  should 
be  done. 


From  G.  F.  Lew  is. '^ 
Cleveland^  Ohio,  November  12  1866. 

On  returning  home  from  Richmond  I  find  letters  from 
our  correspondent  at  St.  Louis,  Mo.  advising  that  an 
agent  of  your  State  has  been  there  offering  to  sell  your 
Agricultural  Scrip  at  40  cents  an  acre. 

I  can  hardly  believe  it  as  it  has  a  direct  tendency  to 
injure  you  and  us  and  all  others  dealing  largely  in  it.  A 
few  pieces  sold  at  this  rate  will  prevent  your  selling  the 
balance  at  any  reasonable  price. 

We  deal  largely  in  this  Scrip  having  purchased  the  large 
states  of  Pennsylvania  Ohio  and  Kentucky.  If  you  de- 
sire to  sell  all  your  Scrip  please  advise  me  your  price  for 
the  whole  of  it.  At  all  events  do  not  [glutf^  the  market 
by  peddling  on  1  or  200  pieces. 


^  G.  F.  Lewis  was  a  land  warrant  broker  of  Cleveland,  Ohio. 


836  North  Caeolina  Historical  Commission. 

From  D.  F.  Caldwell 

Gkkexsboro,  Nov.  IJfih  1806. 
Railroad  matters.  You  iiiust  pardou  me  foi'  this  hastj  note.  I  have  long 
been  desirous  to  write  you  an  article  on  state  affairs,  but 
have  not  been  able  to  get  all  the  data  I  desired,  and  have 
postponed,  until  I  find  it  is  now  too  late  to  effect  anything. 
This  much  for  my  troubling  you — If  there  is  one  man  in 
the  state,  who  does  earnestly  desire  to  see  you  sig-nalize 
your  administration  by  doing  something  for  the  lasting 
benefit  of  ones  people  and  state  I  am  that  man.  I  am  sure 
the  way  is  open  and  I  believe  you  have  the  will  and  pop- 
ularity. I  see  that  all  the  enterprising  portion  of  our 
population  in  this  part  of  the  state  will  soon  leave  us  if 
something  is  not  done  to  give  our  people  hope.  Over  one 
thousand  have  gone  and  still  this  frightful  exodus  con- 
tinues. I  feel  touchy  over  conditions  for  I  already  see 
the  beginning  of  the  end  if  something  is  not  done  to  give 
laboring  men  in  this  section  of  the  state  hope  in  the  fu- 
ture if  they  remain  among  us. 

Now  as  to  what  I  think  ought  to  be  done — the  F.  &  W. 
R.  R.  ought  to  be  extended  up  Deep  River  to  this  place  as 
speedy  as  possible  and  if  the  state  does  nothing  more  it 
should  do  all  the  late  committee  asked.  2.  The  county 
courts  must  be  authorized  to  lay  off  all  the  counties  in 
small  to\vnships  and  give  the  people  the  power  to  elect 
road  school  and  agricultural  commissioners  with  a  consta- 
ble for  each  whose  duty  it  should  be  to  take  charge  of  the 
roads  schools  and  Agricultural  interests  in  each  and  in  the 
city,  etc.,  etc. 

Then  we  must  have  some  sort  of  a  currency — I  had  and 
still  have  faith  in  the  scheme  I  proposed — but  I  will  not 
again  press  it  upon  your  attention.  There  is  another 
plan  that  will  work  like  a  charm  but  Avill  require  some 
time,  which  I  call  to  your  attention  and  all  the  savants 
in  whom  you  may  have  confidence.  It  is  this — let  owners 
Railroads   unite   in   asking  the   Legislature  to   so   amend 


Correspondence  of  Jonathan  Worth.  837 

their  res^  ective  charters  as  to  allow  them  the  privilege  of 
banking  under  the  Xational  Banking  laws  for  a  limited 
time  if  they  fear  a  great  mynopoly.  If  their  prayer  is 
answered  then  let  them  repair  to  Washington  City  and 
try  and  get  Congress  to  pass  a  law  authorizing  the  Post- 
master General  or  some  one  else  to  enter  into  a  contract 
with  owners  of  Railroads  for  some  15  or  20  years  to  come 
to  carry  the  U.  S.  mail  for  a  certain  and  stipulated  price 
per  mile  per  annum.  And  then  let  the  Government  of  the 
U.  S.  issue  to  these  roads  bonds  of  the  Government  to  the 
amount  that  the  mail  pay  received  will  pay  the  interest 
on.  These  bonds  may  be  redeemed  by  the  Government 
and  as  additional  security  the  roads  may  give  the  state  a 
lien  on  all  their  j^roperty  to  redeem  them  on  their  circula- 
tion. This  would  soon  give  us  a  currency  strengthen  the 
roads  and  enable  them  to  encourage  our  manufactures 
milers  farmers  and  mechanics. — by  making  them  loans 
on  land  and  produce.  It  would  enable  all  our  R.Roads  to 
husband  and  avail  themselves  of  the  incomes  and  deposits 
that  might  be  made  and  bank  on  them  to  profit  Nationally 
so  it  would  enable  them  to  unite  our  Roads  and  cause 
them  to  put  forth  all  their  efforts  to  send  our  trade,  travel 
and  produce  over  our  own  roads  to  our  own  towns  and 
markets.  It  would  cause  all  our  Railroads  accounts  and 
especially  these  monied  transactions  to  be  kept  in  an 
honest  and  intelligent  manner.  There  would  be  no  more 
defaulters  or  unsettled  accounts.  This  of  itself  would 
be  worth  thousands  annually  to  the  state  and  more  to  the 
road.  Again  it  would  soon  give  new  life  to  internal  im- 
provements within  our  borders.  Then  I  hope  to  see  what 
I  declared  ten  years  ago  should  be  done  the  N^.  C.  Rail 
Road  extended  to  Paint  Rock  and  also  to  Cleveland  on  our 
extreme  western  border  there  to  connect  with  the  R.Road 
to  Memphis.  When  we  look  at  the  amount  ]^  York  has  ex- 
pended on  the  Roads  and  Canals  to  connect  with  the  West 
What  Baltimore  has  expended  on  her  roads  for  the  same 
purposes  and  what  Virginia  has,  and    now    proposes    to 


838  North  Carolina  Historical  Commission. 

spend  upon  her  canall  and  lload  from  ISTewport  ISTews,  to 
the  Ohio  and  contrast  the  annuity  expended  and  yet  re- 
quired to  effect  these  great  lines  and  then  contrast  them 
any  one  of  them,  with  the  sum  required  to  extend  our  road 
as  proposed  we  will  be  astonished  that  we  have  so  miser- 
ably laged  in  this  race.  Our  Route  is  the  most  direct  and 
far  the  best  and  cheapest — to  the  Mississippi  and  equally 
so  to  Cincinnati  and  St.  Louis — And  via  Arkansas  and 
Texas  a  far  Superior  and  nearer  route  to  St.  Francisco 
California  and  when  IST.  C.  completes  the  IST.  C.  Rail  Road 
as  I  have  proposed  Then  the  results  will  come  in  like 
sheaves  af  grain  from  a  well  reaped  harvest  field.  Every 
effort  ought  to  be  made  to  accomplish  forthwith  this  great 
work,  if  the  state  values  it,  and  dedicate  it  and  all  its  reve- 
nues to  the  cause  of  education — but  I  would  not  have  you 
to  recommend  the  state  to  embark  another  dollar  in  this 
or  any  other  scheme  of  the  kind  when  the  individual  stock- 
holders had  not  the  full  power  &  control  of  the  road  and 
its  management.  This  is  a  sine  qua  non.  It  is  not  only 
essential  to  life  that  the  banks  I  have  proposed  should  be 
got  under  way,  but  it  is  equally  essential  that  the  old  usury 
laws  should  be  reenacted.  Also  to  prevent  any  private 
creditor  from  being  swindled  out  of  all  he  has  it  is  im- 
portant that  a  deed  or  trust  law  should  be  passed  requir- 
ing all  who  make  trusts  take  in  all  the  creditors  and  give 
up  all  their  property  and  allow  the  trusts  to  stand  for  four 
years  by  paying  a  certain  portion  of  the  principal  and  in- 
terest anually  and  if  the  extent  proves  that  the  party  is 
insolvent  then  let  them  pay  in  proportion  to  their  ability 
giving  all  the  creditors  the  right  to  bid  and  pay  in  his 
claims  for  the  property.  A  company  should  be  chartered 
whose  duty  it  should  be  to  devise  ways  and  means  to  dis- 
pose of  the  swamp  lands  as  soon  as  possible,  etc.  etc.  Now 
don't  think  me  officious  in  thus  troubling  you.  I  am  not. 
I  only  desire  above  all  things  to  see  N.  C.  redeemed  the 
peace  restored  and  Jonathan  Worth  a  native  son  of  old 
Guilford  propose  more  to  the  Legislature  and  be  the  in- 


CoREESFONDENCE    OF    JoNATHAX    WoKTH.  839 

stnimen'  nnder  God  of  having  more  done  for  onr  people 
than  any  that  has  gone  before  him.  And  these  are  some 
of  the  practical  measures  that  I  think  ought  to  be  recom- 
mended and  proposed  upon  the  consideration  of  the  next 
Legislature.  And  having  been  so  long  acquainted  with 
you  formerly  I  have  ventured  to  believe  that  I  am  as 
near  Governor  in  Jonathan  Worth  as  I  shall  ever  be,  of 
]Sr  C  Therefore  feeling  that  our  location  raising  and 
habits  have  been  so  nearly  similar  I  could  but  feel  anx- 
ious as  I  have  before  told  you  to  see  you  get  out  of  the 
old  fogy  track  and  I  have  therefore  suffered  my  zeal  for 
your  success  to  push  me  out  of  the  line  of  my  duty  and 
made  me  appear  offisious  I  hope  not  however,  and  if  I 
have  I  crave  your  pardon.  I  hop?  you  will  consult  with 
all  the  R  R  Presidents,  Treasurer  Wm.  Mordecai  Jones 
Dunn  and  others  on  my  financial  notions,  and  that  all  of 
them  will  concur  with  me,  etc.  Stafford  our  Sherrift'  out 
on  22,000  tax  due  has  not  been  able, to  collect  more  than 
2000.  He  has  put  out  all  the  rest  for  collection  and  many 
are  running  off. 


From  WiUiam  Clarl'. 

Economy  Wayx  Co.,  Ia.  11th  mo.  ISth,  1860. 
I  have  been  waiting  thinking  thee  would  write  to  some  Questions  and 

J.  ,  personal  matters. 

01  us  but  all  m  vam.  I  have  heard  or  discovered  from  the 
papers  that  thee  is  again  elected  Governor  of  the  state  but 
cannot  learn  exactly  to  my  satisfaction  whether  thee  had 
really  any  opposition.  I  learned  General  Dockery  was 
brought  out  by  the  Union  party  of  that  state  and  declined 
to  run,  and  yet  I  see  several  counties  voted  for  him  and  I 
see  from  the  papers  that  our  old  county  of  Randolph  gave 
him  a  majority  though  the  voters  seems  to  be  small  com- 
]iared  with  former  elections.  I  have  not  seen  who  were 
elected  from  Randolph  and  Guilford.  What  is  likely  to  be 
the  complexion  of  your  next  Legislature  ?     From  the  ap- 


840  North  Carolina  Historical  Commission. 

pearance  thus  far  none  of  the  southeni  states,  at  any  rate 
with  few  exceptions,  seem  like  adopting  the  amendment  to 
the  Constitution  as  proposed  by  Congress.  I  want  thee  to 
send  me  the  best  reasoning  by  newspapers,  publick 
speeches,  or  otherwise  from  your  southern  Politicians.  If 
there  is  any  injustice  to  the  South  in  that  I  want  to  see 
it.  We  hear  but  one  side  argued  here  and  of  course  may 
be  misled  still  I  thought  I  could  judge  impartially  and 
without  prejudice.  If  I  am  wrong  I  would  like  to  know 
it. 

We  have  had  quite  a  gloomy  time  for  the  last  few  days. 
Our  Brother-in-law  B.  Coffin  has  failed  for  a  large  amount 
and  caused  several  of  his  friends  to  suffer  severely,  among 
others  is  his  brother-in-law  Wm.  B.  Hinshaw  and  son-in- 
law  D.  B.  Bobbins  who  have  had  to  make  assignments  of 
all  their  property  and  our  brother-in-law  ]^.  Dennis  has 
suffered  some  $3,000.  by  him  though  he  can  live  well 
enough  without  it  and  it  may  be  that  Barney  may  recover 
so  as  to  pay  part  or  all  of  it  some  time.  I  have  nearly 
escaped  as  far  as  appears  thus  far.  We  rather  disagreed 
some  two*  years  in  regard  to  carrying  on  our  business  and 
when  he  went  to  the  capital  of  our  state  we  closed  up  all 
our  copartnership  and  have  got  it  wount  up  except  a 
small  amount  of  debt  against  us  and  about  as  much  com- 
ing to  us,  so  there  has  been  no  time  in  10  years  that 
I  could  have  escaped  so  well  so  that  I  look  upon  my  case 
as  a  very  fortunate  one.  The  newspapers  set  his  liabili- 
ties at  nearly  one  hundred  thousand  dollars  above  his  as- 
sets, but  I  think  that  not  likely  to  be  so,  though  since  he 
left  here  he  has  been  largely  in  Pork  and  Beef  packing  and 
running  a  large  cotton  farm  near  Montgomery,  Alabama, 
on  which  he  works  about  100  hands. 

Send  me  a  paper  or  something  that  w^ill  post  me  up  oc- 
casionally on  the  affairs  of  my  old  state,  how  is  the  politi- 
cal sentiment  in  your  state  in  regard  to  the  imigration  that 
is  now  flowing  in  this  direction.  We  think  there  is  more 
this  fall  than  has  been  for  manv  vears.      This  Coffin  who 


COKKESPONDENCE    OF    JoNATHA^S^    WoETH.  841 

is  engaged  in  it  has  brought  thousands  and  still  they  come 
but  so  far  as  I  can  discover  but  few  of  the  better  class  are 
coming.  Do  the  Banks  at  Raleigh  sell  exchange  on  IST. 
Y.  and  if  so  at  what  rates  of  exchange.  Barzillai  sends  us 
word  that  he  and  Mary  expects  to  pay  us  a  visit  next 
spring.  Kneed  we  ever  look  for  one  from  any  of  the 
family  ?  I  would  like  thee  would  remember  me  by  send- 
ing me  a  letter  occasionally,  notwithstanding  thy  many 
enffas'ements. 


To  B.  S.  Hedricl'. 

Raleigh,  Nov.  20,  1866. 

Cannot  the  President  be  induced  to  pardon  Owen  R.  p^Xn'^"^ 
Xenan  ?  He  was  a  member  of  the  Confederate  Congress, 
but  there  is  no  conceivable  distinction,  which  places  in  an 
attitude  less  deseiwing  of  pardon,  than  Bridgers,  Dortcli, 
Venable,  Arrington,  Lander  and  McLean.  If  there  be 
any  reason  for  withholding  the  pardons  of  certain  other 
members  to-wit — Graham,  Turner  and  Gaither,  all  of 
whom  were  strict  LTnion  men  till  war  had  actually  com- 
menced, after  the  pardoning  of  such  men  as  Ashe,  Leach, 
Ramsay  and  the  other  members  of  Congress  I  cannot  con- 
ceive I  am  unable  to  conceive  what  that  reason  is.  If  you 
can,  in  any  proper  manner,  get  the  President  to  direct  his 
attention  to  the  apparent  discrimination  against  these  men, 
I  shall  be  greatly  obliged  to  you. 

Washixgto^"^  D.  C. 


To  B.  S.  HedricJc. 

Ralisigh,  Nov.  20  1866. 
I  would  like  to  do  something,  in  such  shape  as  would 
be   agreeable  to  you,  by  pecuniary  reward  or  otherwise 


842  North  Carolina  Historical  Commission. 

making  a  proper  acknowledgemont  that  the  State  appre- 
ciates your  services  in  procuring  pardons,  etc. 

The  matter  of  our  land  scrip  is  referred  to  the  Genl 
Assembly  for  further  action. 

The  offer  and  suggestions  of  Ex-Govr.  Bibb  will  be  sub- 
mitted to  the  committee  to  which  the  matter  will  be  re- 
ferred. 

I  regard  his  suggestion  as  very  good,  and  with  my  pres- 
ent light,  favor  employing  him  as  our  agent. 

Washington^  D.  C. 


From  0.  G.  Parsley. 

Wilmington,  N".  C.  Nov.  22nd  1866. 
Railroad  matters.  Yours  of  the  20th  inst.  at  hand.  Until  day  before  yes- 
terday I  did  not  know  who  would  be  the  State  proxy  at 
our  W.  &  W.  R.  E,.  meeting,  but  then  learned  from  a  con- 
versation with  Dr.  Arrington  that  he  held  the  appoint- 
ment. I  certainly  have  no  personal  objections  to  the  ap- 
pointment and  do  not  know  that  others  would  have  had  or 
have,  until  from  information  from  your  letters  and  his 
actions  at  the  meeting  of  the  stockholders  of  the  Wilming- 
ton &  W^.  R.  R.  yesterday  it  seems  very  apparent  that  in- 
fluences have  operated  which  perhaps  may  not  be  alto- 
gether proper.  The  charters  of  both  our  roads  provide 
that  none  but  a  stockholder  shall  act  as  proxy  at  the  meet- 
ing and  that  no  officer  of  the  roads  shall  act  as  proxy.  At 
the  meeting  of  the  W.  &  W.  stockholders  yesterday  Dr. 
Arrington  represented  a  large  number  of  shares,  the 
proxies  of  which  had  been  it  is  alleged  procured  by  Col. 
Fremont  an  officer  of  that  road  for  the  purpose  of  controll- 
ing the  action  of  that  meeting.  By  the  recommendation  of 
Col.  Fremont  and  Mr.  Drane,  each  an  officer  of  the  re- 
spective roads,  he  is  made  the  State  proxy  at  the  Man- 
chester meeting  on  the  28th,  although  he  owns  no  stock  in 


COKRESPONDENCE    OF    JONATHAN    WoETH.  843 

the  corporation.  The  object  of  the  charters  to  })revent 
officers  from  coiitrolliiiii'  the  action  of  the  meeting  nuiy  in 
this  way  be  entirely  defeated.  The  State  cooperating  with 
the  officers  of  either  road  can  defeat  the  individual  stock- 
holders— appoint  whom  they  please  and  make  the  salaries 
of  the  President  and  superintendents  and  some  of  the 
other  officers,  what  they  please.  Do  you  think  such  influ- 
ence proper  ? 

I  do  not  know  that  there  will  be  any  opposition  to  Mr. 
Drane  for  the  Presidency  of  the  Manchester  Co.  I  hardly 
think  there  will  be — -I  do  not  know  that  the  complaints  and 
dissatisfaction  of  which  I  spoke  in  my  last  letter  are  suffi- 
cient to  make  a  change  desirable.  I  am  by  no  means 
satisfied  that  Mr.  Drane  is  not  the  best  man  we  can  get 
for  the  position.  But  I  am  well  assured  that  the  State 
proxy  appointed  on  his  and  Col.  Fremont's  recommendation 
will  if  they  wish  it  vote  for  him  although  a  majority  of  the 
individual  stock  might  prefer  another.  My  desire  is  that 
he  who  represents  the  State  may  go  into  the  meeting  un- 
pledged and  unbiassed  and  that  the  individual  stock  may 
not  be  controlled  by  the  influence  of  the  officials  of  the 
Railroad,  terminating  here  the  State  cooperation. 

The  State  proxies,  until  within  the  past  two  years,  have 
been  accustomed  to  consult  and  I  think  respect  the  wishes 
of  a  majority  of  the  individual  share  holders.  Since ; 
rather  to  rule  them  to  their  own  choice.  I  hope  the  Dr. 
may  act  in  such  manner  as  may  not  give  cause  for  com- 
plaint at  his  appointment. 


844  XoRTii  Carolina  Historical  Commission. 

From  Bohert  B.  UiUiam.^ 

,  Oxford,  Nov  22nd  1860. 

Objections  to  a  I  understand  an  ap])lication  has  been  made  to  you  to 

Court  of  Oyer, and  ■,  ^  r-  •  r  • 

Terminer.  order  a  Coiii-t  01  Over  and  Terminer  to  be  held  for  this 

county — the  object  being  to  have  sentence  pronounced  upon 
a  culprit  heretofore  convicted  of  a  capital  felony,  who 
broke  jail  before  the  day  appointed  for  his  execution — and 
has  been  since  arrested.  If  such  be  the  object  of  the  ap- 
plication, I  beg  leave  to  suggest  that  it  cannot  be  accom- 
plished in  the  way  proposed.  The  act  to  authorize  courts 
of  Oyer  and  Terminer  provides  that  they  shall  have  juris- 
diction "by  a  grand  jury  to  inquire,  and  by  a  petit  jury 
to  hear  and  determine  all  felonies,  etc.,"  "and  all  such 
cases  whereof  jurisdiction  is  hereby  conferred  pending  for 
trial  in  the  Superior  Court  of  any  County,  shall  be  deemed 
in  the  Court  of  Oyer  and  Terminer  held  for  that  county, 
etc." 

I  see  no  very  urgent  reason  for  anticipating  the  usual 
term  of  the  Superior  Court,  even  if  there  was  no  legal 
difficulty  in  the  way,  but  however  that  may  be,  it  seems 
to  me  very  clear  that  a  Judge  holding  a  Court  of  Oyer 
and  Terminer  would  not  be  authorized  to  award  sentence 
of  death  upon  a  prisoner  situated  like  the  one  in  this 
county. 

I  take  the  liberty  of  mentioning  the  matter,  because  it 
occurred  to  me,  you  might  probably,  if  the  court  was  or- 
dered, appoint  me  to  hold  it  and  I  thought  it  best  to  ad- 
vise you  of  my  views  beforehand. 

And  even  if  the  Court  of  Oyer  and  Terminer  should 
be  applied  for  in  this  county  for  purposes  strictly  within 
the  act,  I  have  to  request  as  a  special  favor  that  some  other 


1 


'  Robert  B.  Gilliam,  of  Granville  county,  had  l^een  a  member  of  the 
convention  of  1835.  He  had  later  been  many  times  a  member  of  the 
legislature,  and  in  1862  was  Speaker  of  the  House.  In  1863  he  was 
elected  to  the  Superior  Court  bench  and  remained  there  until  1868. 
He  was  elected  to  Congress  in  1870  and  died  belore  taking  his  seat. 


CORBESPONDENCE    OF    JOXATHAX    WoRTH.  845 

person  than  myself  mav  be  appointed  to  hold  it — Fourteen 
weeks  of  incessant  labor  have  tried  my  constitution  pretty 
severely,  and  I  wish  if  possible  to  enjoy  perfect  rest  both 
of  body  and  mind  until  the  coming  spring.  Should  a 
Court  be  thought  necessary  here,  I  have  no  doubt  Judge 
Fowle  or  Judge  Barnes  would  consent  to  hold  it. 


From  B.  S.  Hedrich. 
Washington,  D.  C.  Nov.  22,  1860. 

Inclosed  is  a  letter  from  Gov.  Bibb.  I  have  not  time 
to  write  more  now.  Your  letter  of  the  20th  relating  to 
"pardons"  is  "imperfect,"  only  one  page  being  sent,  prob- 
ably by  mistake  in  mailing.  I  have  not  yet  seen  your 
message,  except  a  brief  abstract  in  the  city  paper  of  today. 

I  saw  the  Attorney  General  today  in  relation  to  pardons 
and  he  has  promised  to  take  up  and  report  soon  on  some 
of  the  names  you  mention.  I  cannot  find  an  application 
in  full  for  Willis  Whitaker  of  Wake.  There  is  a  petition 
of  Wesley  Whitaker,  Jr.,  of  Wake,  suspended  by  Holden. 

Will  write  affain  soon. 


To  James  L.  Orr. 

Nov.  27th  1866. 

I  am  requested  by  a  member  of  our  Genl  Assembly  to 
ask  you  for  a  copy  of  such  laws  and  ordinances  as  have 
been  passed  in  your  State  since  May  1865 — I  mean  such 
as  have  been  printed  in  pamphlet  form. 

May  I  ask  whether  your  Courts  are  yielding  obedience 
to  Genl  Sickle's  orders  of  Oct.  1  1866  ?  I  propose  to  ap- 
peal to  the  Brest,  of  the  U.  S.  The  military  Commandant 
has  very  recently  sent  me  a  copy  of  this  order,  specially 
calling  my  attention  to  the  5th  and  6th  paragraphs. 

Columbia,  S.  C. 


sltion. 


846  North  Carolina  Historical  Commissioin". 

To  Edwin  G.  Reade. 

Dec.  5  1866. 
Plans  of  the  oppo-  I  am  satisfied  that  Mr.  Logan  is  now  in  Washington 
City  as  the  delegate  of  a  caucus  held  a  few  evenings  ago  at 
Gov.  Holden's,  for  the  i:)urpose  of  aiding  in  overthrowing 
the  present  civil  govt,  of  the  State.  This  influence  ought 
to  be  counteracted.  I  have  no  official  power,  but  think 
you  could  possibly  do  much  good  if  you  would  consent  to 
go  to  Washington.  Will  you  go  ?  If  so  I  will  ask  Judge 
Pearson  and  any  third  person  you  may  name  to  go  also. 
Kaleigh. 


From  Edwin  G.  Reade. 

Raleigh  Dec.  5/66. 
I  have  (11 :00  o'clock  P.  M.)  now  your  letter  of  today 
requesting  me  to  go  to  Washington  with  Judge  Pearson 
and  another.  I  regret  that  I  am  obliged  to  leave  the  city 
in  the  morning.  I  have  requested  Judge  Merrimon  to 
see  you  and  talk  with  you  freely  about  it.  I  have  only 
time  to  say  in  this  note  that  if  there  is  anything  which  I 
can  do,  or  which  prudent  men  think  I  can  do  to  save  the 
State  of  course  I  am  ready  to  do  it  at  whatsoever  peril  or 
cost.  I  exceedingly  doubt  w^hether  anything  can  be  done. 
Further  than  this  Judge  Merrimon  is  possessed  fully  with 
my  views.     I  shall  be  pleased  to  hear  from  you  again. 


To  James  L.  Orr. 

Dec.  13  1866. 
I  propose  to  leave  here  tomorrow  to  see  the  President 
in  relation  to  Sickles'  order  of  1  Octr.  and  earnestly  in- 
vite you  to  join  me  there — at  the  Ebbitt  House.     Will 
you  go? 

Columbia,  S.   C. 


Correspondence  of  Jonathan  Worth.  847 

^y.  H.  Barjleij  to  D.  F.  Caldwell. 

December  ISth  1866. 

Gov.  Wortli  is  absent  and  I  have  no  authority  to  desig- 
nate an  agent  to  represent  the  State  in  the  investigation 
of  the  Davis  Burglary  case  by  Col.  Cogswell.  Col.  Bum- 
ford  invites  us  to  have  an  agent  to  act  with  Col.  C.  and 
make  the  investigation  a  joint  one.  I  hope,  in  the  absence 
of  Govr.  Worth,  that  you,  or  Genl.  Gilmer  will  act  for  the 
State  upon  this  suggestion  of  mine.  If  you  cannot  please 
see  Genl  Gilmer  in  regard  to  it.  I  have  written  also  to 
him. 

Greensboro. 


To  Nathaniel  Boyden. 

December  29,  1866. 
At  as  early  a  day  as  may  be  convenient  to  you  let  me  Expenses  of  the 

p  .      .  ~f^y  .  rm        Wiishingtoil 

know  the  expenses  oi  yr  mission  to   vVashingi;on.       Ihe  mission. 
Genl  A.   has   authorised   the  payment   of  the   same   and 
having  paid  from  my  own  purse  the  expenses  of  myself 
and  the  other  two  Comrs  and  made  an  advance  of  a  small 
part  of  yours  I  desire  to  adjust  and  draw  for  it. 

I  am  also  anxious  to  have  your  report  of  what  you  may 
have  learned  and  yr  general  views  as  to  the  feelings  of 
Congress. 

Yr  appointment  on  the  commission  gave  universal  satis- 
faction. 


To  Nathaniel  Boyden. 

Jan.  1  1867. 

Your  very  satisfactory  letter  giving  me  a  narrative  of 
your  proceedings  after  I  left  you  in  Washington  is  re- 
ceived, and  I  herewith  inclose  $10.  the  balance  due  you 
for  expenses  of  this  trip. 


848  North  Cakolixa  Historical  Commission. 

I  tliiuk  our  ISTational  affairs  are  assumiug  a  more  healthy 
tone. 

Salisbury. 


To  Peter  Adams. 

Jan.  2  1867. 
comSfon  to  ^  h.Si\Q  nominated  on  the  Comn  to  Washington  A.  S. 

Washington.         Merrimon,  J.  M.  Leach,  J.  A.  Gilmer,  Bedford  Brow 
and  P.  H.  Winston. 

There  is  no  one  on  the  Comn.  better  fitted  for  it  than 
our  friend  Gilmer — but  I  should  not  have  appointed  him 
but  for  your  letter  urging  it,  because  from  the  informa- 
tion I  have  had  as  to  his  health,  I  had  supposed  that  quiet 
was  essential  to  his  complete  restoration.  See  him  and 
assure  him  that  I  would  not  have  him  go  if  he  thinks  he 
would  thereby  endanger  his  health. 

Greensboro. 


To  William  A.  Graham.. 

Raleigh,  Jan.  3/67. 
Meeting  of  Council      I  call  mv  council  next  week  to  appoint  a  board  of  In- 

of  State.  "  _  ^  ^ 

ternal  Improvement,  Literary  Board,  etc.,  and  especially 
to  ask  their  view  as  to  the  course  proper  to  be  pursued  by 
me  in  the  contingency  that  Congress  declare  the  present 
State  government  a  nullity.  My  notion  for  meet- 
ing such  a  contingency  is  to  decline  to  surrender  vol- 
untarily to  a  governor  appointed  by  Congress  or  elected 
by  others  than  voters  entitled  to  this  franchise  under  our 
Constitution — and  if  imprisoned  for  disobedience,  to  ap- 
ply by  Habeas  Corpus  to  a  Judge  of  the  Supreme  Court 
of  the  LT.  S.  for  enlargement — and  thus  endeavor  to  sus- 
tain our  State  Govt,  by  the  action  of  the  Supreme  Court 
of  the  U.  S.     I  will  be  fflad  to  have  your  views  on  this. 


COKKESPONDENCE    OF    Jo:S'ATIIAX    WoRTH.  849 

I  mj  ^  be  called  uyion  to  act  when  I  cannot  consnlt  my 
council  or  others  in  whose  judgment  I  confide. 

I  deem  the  matter  as  to  our  swamp  lands  important,  and 
want  an  able  Literary  board.  It  consists  of  three  mem- 
bers. Mr.  Mendenhall  (to  my  relief)  lias  resigned. 
Stephen  D.  Pool,  whom  I  did  not  know  well  when  I  ap- 
pointed him  last  year  has  removed  to  Xewbern  and  does 
not  suit  me.  Maj.  Husted  of  this  City,  I  will  continue 
on  my  board.  If  you  and  Gov.  Bragg  will  consent  to 
serve,  I  would  be  glad  to  make  you  members  of  the  board. 
Would  the  appointments  have  any  semblance  of  incom- 
patability  with  your  position  as  Senator  ?  Should  you  be 
admitted  to  a  seat  in  Congress  you  could  resign.  If  you 
decline  to  accej)t,  can  you  suggest  two  good  names  ? 

I  write  at  home. 


To  Samuel  A.  Harris. 

Raleigit,  Jan.  S  1S67. 

Yours  of  the  5th  inst  is  just  received. 

I  lately  sent  by  mail  to  the  Chm.  of  each  Warden  Court 
in  the  State  a  copy  of  the  act  of  our  Genl  A.  touching  the 
subject  of  your  letter.  When  answers  to  the  letters  shall 
be  received  they  will  be  submitted  to  the  Chief  Assistant 
of  the  Freedman's  Bureau.  Until  this  is  done  I  can  give 
no  precise  information  as  to  the  extent  of  relief  to  be 
expected  from  this  quarter. 

If  the  Chairman  has  not  received  my  letter,  please  let 
me  know. 

CriAREOTTE. 


Vol.  2—13 


850  XORTII    CaROLIXA    HiSTOKlOAL    COMMISSION. 

To  E.  J.  Warren.^ 

Jan.  3rd  1SG7. 

A I  the  time  the  a])])lieatioii  Avas  made  lo  me  by  a  very 
large  lunnber  of  the  citizens  of  Pasquotank,  endorsed  by 
Dr.  Speed,  John  Pool  and  others  I  was  informed  that  you 
were  absent  from  the  State.  1  declined  to  act  until  you 
or  the  Solicitor  from  your  Circuit  should  be  heard  from 
on  the  subject.  A  few  days  thereafter,  I  received  a  let- 
ter from  Mr.  Eure  recommending  the  pardon,  which  I 
thereupon  granted.  Some  days  after  the  issue  of  the  par- 
don, your  letter  on  the  subject  came  to  my  hands. 

I  deem  this  explanation  due  to  you,  as  I  have  in  no 
case  granted  a  pardon,  where  it  was  known  to  me  that  the 
judge  who  tried  the  case,  deemed  the  exercise  of  clemency 
inexpedient.  If  your  letter  had  been  received  in  time  it 
would  have  received  due  consideration. 

Washington. 


To  Miss  M.  A.  Bide. 

Ealeigii,  Jan.  3  1861. 

Your  late  letter  and  inclosures  explanatory  of  your  plan 
for  getting  up  a  school  or  schools  on  a  large  scale  for  the 
education  of  orphan  females  whose  fathers  died  in  the 
service  of  the  Southern  States  in  the  late  war,  was  duly 
received.  How  feiwently  do  I  wish  you  success — and  you 
may  rely  on  my  co-operation. 

You  ask  me  to  nominate  some  suitable  persons  as  Treas- 
urers. I  suggest  Geo.  W.  Mordecai,  of  this  city,  Wm.  A. 
Wright,  of  Wilmington,  Philip  A.  Wiley,  of  Fayetteville, 
Jno.  D.  Whitford,  IN'ewbern,  Jesse  H.  Lindsay,  Greens- 


1  Edward  J.  Warren,  of  Beaufort  county,  had  been  several  times  a 
member  of  the  legislature,  and  was  a  member  of  the  conventions  of 
1861  and  1865.  Governor  Worth  appointed  him  a  Superior  Court 
Judge  in  186.3.  He  was  President  of  the  Senate  in  1871.  He  was  a 
Whig  before  the  war  and  became  a  Democrat  afterwards. 


CORKESPONDENCE    OF    JONATHAN    WoRTK.  S51 

boro,  D.  A,  Davis,  Salisbury,  J.  G.  Lash,  Salem,  R.  F. 
Siinonton,  Statesville,  T.  W.  Dewey,  Charlotte,  Genl. 
Robert  Vance,  Asheville. 

If  other  names,  in  other  localities,  be  desired,  I  will 
designate  them  if  requested. 

]\[ay  you  be  successful  in  this  the  noblest  charity  in  the 
line  of  benevolence  to  which  von  have  devoted  your  life. 


To  Duncan,  Navaro  &  Co. 

Jan.  3  1SG7. 

Yours  of  the  2Sth  inst.  is  received,  asking  my  co- 
operation in  a  gift  enterprise  for  the  benefit  of  destitute 
Southerners.  There  are  many  here  greatly  needing  and 
deserving  the  charity  of  the  benevolent.  I  know  little  as 
to  gift  enterprises  and  do  not  know  in  what  way  I  am  to 
co-operate,  but  the  object  is  one  in  which  you  can  have  \\\y 
hearty  help  in  any  proper  way  in  which  I  can  give  it. 

Xew  York  City. 


To  L.  17.  Gimert. 

Raleigh,  Jan.  Jf  1867. 

Your  letter  and  accompanying  bill  for  charter  for  the 
American  Industrial  Association  of  JSTorth  Carolina  is  re- 
ceived. It  strikes  me  that  your  designs  may  benefit  the 
State. 

Under  the  Constitution  and  laws  of  the  State  a  private 
law  cannot  be  passed  until  30  days  notice  of  the  applica- 
tion shall  be  given.  The  Genl  Assembly  will  convene  on 
the  28tli  inst.  I  have  had  a  notice  prepared  and  send  it 
to  the  Sentinel  news-paper  published  here  for  insertion 
and  have  directed  the  editors  to  send  their  account  to  you,- 
for  the  payment  of  which  I  have  made  myself  responsible. 


852  North  Cakolixa  Historical  Commission. 

My  time,  in  the  strange  condition  of  our  Federal  rela- 
tions, etc.  is  so  engrossed  that  I  fear  I  may  not  be  able  to 
give  your  business  the  attention  necessary  to  insure  the 
passage  of  your  bill,  and  I  recommend  that  you  address 
Thadeus  J.  Bryson,  at  this  place,  asking  him  to  call  on 
me  for  the  bill.  He  is  a  member  of  the  House  from 
Jackson  Countv  and  I  think  will  take  an  interest  in  ii;et- 
ting  your  bill  passed.     Wishing  you  success, 

Xew  York  City. 


To  Rev.  Eohert  Neicmann. 

Ealeigh,  Jan.  If.  1867. 
Yours  of  the  17th  inst.  has  not  been  answered  sooner 
because  other  duties  have  engrossed  my  attention. 
Climate  and  Re-  The  climate  and  resources  of  this  State  are  most  invit- 

sonrces  of  North 

Carolina.  ing — and  our  impoverished  condition  makes  immigration 

most  desirable  to  us — but  the  groundless  suspicions  con- 
tinually kept  up  against  us  by  the  dominant  power  in 
Congress,  and  the  uncertainty  as  to  the  future  action,  of 
our  Conquerors,  dispirit  our  people.  Until  the  revolu- 
tionary schemes  of  CongTess  shall  be  abandoned  and  ap- 
prehension of  cruel  domination  cease,  we  can  do  little. 

We  know^  little  as  to  the  best  plan  of  inducing  immi- 
gration and  cannot  hope  that  many  immigrants  will  settle 
among  us  while  we  are  held  as  a  conquered  province — 
and  every  way  reviled  by  our  conquerors.  I  shall  most 
earnestly  co-operate  in  any  scheme  of  encouraging  immi- 
gration whenever  the  action  of  Congress  shall  be  such  as 
to  leave  us  any  ground  to  hope  that  such  scheme  Avill  be 
successful. 

Our  Genl.  Assembly,  which  has  taken  a  recess  till  the 
last  of  this  month,  has  the  subject  of  encouraging  immi- 
gration under  consideration.  If  you  can  suggest  any  spe- 
cific thing  we  may  do,  which  you  think  would  bring  immi- 


COREESPONBENCE    OF    JONATHAN    WoRTH.  853 

grants  t    tins  State,  I  will  lay  such  suggestions  before  the 
committee  having  charge  of  this  subject. 
Xew  York  City. 


To  Iter.  Bohert  Newmann. 

Raleigh,  Jan.  Jf.  1867. 
Durinff  the  late  war  myself  and  my  son  D.  G.  Worth  offering  for  sale 

^        °  .  ^  tract  of  land. 

of  Wilmington,  and  my  brother-in-law  If.  G.  Daniel  of 
Wilmington  as  a  counteract  of  our  depreciating  currency 
purchased  a  very  valuable  tract  of  land  in  Horry  District, 
S.  C,  containing  about  3,500  acres.  I  own  half  and  each 
of  them  one-fourth.  They  are  merchants  in  Wilmington 
and  my  attention  is  directed  to  home  affairs.  We  would 
like  to  sell  it. 

The  tract  consists  of  about  600  acres,  originally  swamp, 
of  exceeding  fertility.  A  principal  canal  has  been  cut 
so  large  that  the  swamp  is  never  inundated.  Some  150 
acres  were  brought  into  cultivation  years  ago  and  other 
reridue,  without  important  expense,  might  be  cleared  and 
ciii  ivated.  The  portion  of  it  not  reclaimed  has  much 
va]  able  timber,  White  oak,  Poplar,  Juniper — the  whole 
of  capable  of  producing  the  most  luxuriant  crops  of 
cor  '  1,  corn,  etc.  which  any  land  will  yield. 

J  lie  original  proprietor,  a  Scotchman,  who  died  without 
heir  in  this  country,  made  a  large  fortune  on  it,  by  the 
cultivation  of  cotton,  and  laid  out,  by  tasteful  and  judi- 
cious ditching,  the  portion  which  he  brought  into  cultiva- 
tion, but  the  proprietors  since  have  neglected  the  ditches 
and  it  would  require  a  small  outlay  of  labor  to  put  it  in 
productive  condition. 

TIlc  remainder  of  the  land — say  2700  acres  is  covered 
by  a  first  forest  of  long-leaf  pine,  most  of  which  has  been 
boxed  for  turpentine  and  worked  about  four  feet  high. 

The  buildings  on  the  place  are  not  valuable,  but  capable 
of  f  rnishino-  comfortable  shelter  to  a  few  families. 


Soi  XoRTii  Carolina  Historical  Commission. 

The  ])laee  is  about  7  miles  distant  from  flat  [Two  ivords 
illcglhh'^  with  excellent  road  to  the  place  of  shipment. 
The  outlet  to  the  ocean  is  by  way  of  Georgetown. 

The  place  is  capable  of  a  large  operation  in  timber, 
stores  and  lumber  besides  the  culture  of  cotton  and  corn, 
so  that  many  laborers  could  be  profitably  employed  on  it 
at  once. 

"We  would  sell  this  tract  at  $3.00  per  acre,  gold,  one 
third  down,  and  a  credit  of  any  reasonable  time  for  thi 
residue,  secured  by  retaining  title  until  the  purchase 
money  should  be  paid,  and  interest  at  7  per  cent  pai'^ 
annually. 

If  you  can  effect  a  sale  for  us,  we  will  allow  you  5  pe:' 
cent  and  it  to  be  paid  as  fast  as  we  receive  the  purclias- 
money. 

If  this  description  shall  awaken  your  attention,  auv 
agent  you  may  send  to  examine  the  land  will  receive  every 
facility  from  Worth  &  Daniel  of  Wilmington,  who  ]\i\'-^- 
a  map  of  the  premises,  and  one  of  whom,  if  desitvd, 
would  accompany  such  agent. 

The  growth  of  cotton  and  the  production  of  the  pine, 
offer  the  most  inviting  field  for  profits,  and  the  operation- 
could  lio  ])ul:  in  action  on  this  place  at  once. 


false  rejiorls. 


To  C.  B.  Dihhle. 

Jan.  5  1S67. 

contrariiction  of         Attribute  my  neu'lect  to  answer  yours  of  the  20th  ult. 

to  domestic  grief  and  the  pressure  of  public  engagements. 

Myself  and  associates,  when  at  Washington,  did  what 

we  could  to  remove  the  impressions  prejudicial   to  this 

State. 

The  people  of  Xorth  Carolina  were  never  more  loyal 
to  the  Constitution  of  the  United  States  and  never  more 
obedient  to  Xational  authoritv. 


Correspondence  of  Jonathan  Worth.  855 

The  allegation  so  often  repeated,  that  Union  men  and 
negroes  car  .ot  have  justice  in  our  Courts  is  without  color 
of  truth,  but  a  small  class  of  base  men  wrong  us,  to  cuitj 
favor  with  the  dominant  party  in  Congress,  over  anony- 
mous signatures,  are  indefatigable  in  supplying  the  Chron- 
icle and  kindred  papers  with  new  falsehood  for  nearly 
every  issue, — and  as  the  papers  which  publish  these  lies 
don't  want  tnith  to  overtake  them,  they  never  publish  a 
contradiction.  This  keeps  up  ill  will  towards  us  among 
the  masses. 

I  do  not  believe  members  of  Congress  are  misled  by 
these  lies.  They  have  too  many  facilities  to  ascertain 
the  truth — but  many,  I  fear,  are  willing  their  constituents 
shall  continue  to  believe  we  are  monsters.  X?arly  all  of 
them  deem  the  continued  ascendency  of  the  presfnt  domi- 
nant power  the  magnum  bonum  and  the  deem  the  con- 
tinued exclusion  of  the  South  from  Congress — and  the  dis- 
franchisement of  the  gi'eat  body  of  our  people  and  right 
of  suffrage  to  the  lately  emancipated  slaves  essential  to 
preservation  of  their  party  powder.  The  idea  of  winning 
our  confidence  by  allowing  us  our  constitutional  rights 
and  attaching  us  to  them  by  magnanimous  confidence, 
they  will  not  entertain.  They  rely  on  force  only,  and  un- 
constitutional schemes  of  regiilatiug  suffrage  among  us, 
now  tint  no  State  South  will  voluntarily  assent  to  ratify 
an  amendment  proposed  in  a  Congress  from  which  we 
were  excluded  and  with  features  revolting  to  a  people  re- 
taining any  self  respect. 

I  inclose  to  you  a  copy  of  late  inaugural. 

In  a  few  days  we  will  have  in  Washing'ton  a  few  of  our 
ablest  men  Avhose  character  as  Union  men  is  far  better 
than  that  of  a  few  miserable  sycophants  among  us  who 
first  stirred  up  Sectionalism  and  now  meanly  claim  to  be 
the  only  people  among  us  deserving  iSTorthern  confidence. 

Xew"  York  City. 


856  A'oKTU    CaKOLIXA    IIlSTOKlCAL    CoMMISSIOJN^. 

To  F.  B.  S(ttlerthwalte.^ 

Jan.  5th  1S67. 
Relating  to  a  pcti-        Ju  ilie  case  of  J.  J.  Pcrkiiis'  petition  for  ijardon,  the 

tion  lor  pardon. 

Consideration  of  which  has  been  deferred,  because  it  did 
not  appear  to  be  absolutely  necessary  to  decide  it  at  present, 
and  because  of  duties  public  and  domestic,  have  not  given 
me  time  for  the  careful  consideration  of  the  case.  I  am 
struck  by  the  omission  to  give  any  account  of  the  transac- 
tion. The  case  as  ])resonted  seems  to  rest  for  my  action 
simply  on  the  universal  wish  of  the  local  connnunity  that 
clemency  be  extended,  while  the  facts  attending  the  com- 
mission of  the  offence  are  not  set  forth.  When  a  judge 
in  an  Assault  and  Battery  case  imposes  a  fine  of  $500. 
and  six  months  imprisonment,  I  think  that  proper  respect 
to  the  Judiciary,  compels  me  to  assume  there  must  have 
been  some  heinous  criminality  in  the  transaction,  and 
when  I  am  asked  to  pardon,  and  the  history  of  the  trans- 
action is  entirely  suppressed,  I  doubt  the  propriety  of 
yielding  to  the  request,  though  backed  by  the  entire  local 
community.  Is  it  not  due  to  the  Judge  to  assume  that  his 
judgment  rested  on  truer  grounds  than  the  passions  and 
symj^athies  of  the  community  ? 

I  infer  from  some  of  the  papers  that  the  transaction 
sprung  from  some  family  feud  between  Perkins  and  Clark 
and  that  a  pardon  of  Perkins  would  tend  to  compose  this 
fend.  I  do  not  find  in  the  papers  any  assurance  that  such 
would  be  the  result. 

I  have  before  me  nothing  from  the  judge — And  the  en- 
dorsement of  the  Att.  Genl.  not  recommending  the  par- 
don, l)ut  |)ostponement  of  the  imprisonment  of  Perkins  to 
the  indefinite  time  when  Clark  shall  bo  tried  presents  to 
my  mind  an  embarrassing  question  as  to  my  power  so 
to  act. 

As  it  is  some  weeks  yet  before  the  imprisonment  would 


^  Fenner  B.  Satterthwaite,  of  Pitt  county,  had  been  a  member  of  the 
letjislature  and  of  the  conventions  of  1861  and  1865. 


CoREESPONDE]>fCE    OF    JONATHAN    WoRTH.  857 

commence  I  defer  action  till  I  shall  hear  from  Judge  Mer- 
rimon,  or  .ntil  I  shall  be  made  more  fully  cognizent  of 
the  facts.  I  will  not  allow  the  beneficent  power  of  clem- 
ency vested  in  the  Executive,  to  cripple  the  power  of  the 
judiciary  to  repress  crime.  The  worthy  names  pressing 
the  pardon  of  Perkins  entitle  his  application,  accompanied 
as  they  are  by  facts,  to  the  most  respectful  consideration, 
and  I  regret  that  my  necessary  absence  in  the  public  ser- 
vice prevented  your  seeing  me  on  the  subject.  On  this  as 
well  as  other  matters  of  public  concern,  I  would  be  glad 
to  have  a  personal  interview  with  you. 
Wilmington. 


To  A.  C.  Cowles. 

Jan.  .5th  1S67. 

I  some  time  ago  ordered  a  bbl  of  whiskey  from  my 
■friend  ]^.  Williams.     His  agent  (he  being  from  home  at 

the  time)  sent  me  a  bbl  containing  37  gals,  at  $5 

$185.00  requesting  remittance  by  express.  The  amount 
oversized  my  purse.  I  sent  $100.  and  owe  $85.  Will 
you  do  me  the  favor  to  pay  him  the  $85.  and  let  me  hand 
it  to  you  when  you  come  down  to  the  Geiil.  Assembly  ? 

At  this  rate  a  poor  Govr.  who  keep  a  quantity  of  meat 
and  bread  and  fuel  must  treat  himself  and  friends  on 
short  allowance  of  whiskey. 

Y.VDXINVILI.E. 


To  B.  S.  Hedrick. 

Jan  5th  1SG7. 

Thos.  Futrel  of  Randolph  County,  a  deputy  marshal. 
took  the  census  of  1860.  He  died  in  1861,  I  believe.  He 
took  no  part  in  the  war.  His  widow  Julia  Ann  Futrel, 
in  deplorable  indigent  circumstances,  writes  me  there  is 


858  ^ORTH  Caeolixa  Histoeical  Commission. 

a  bal.  of  $18-i.  due  her  husband  for  this  service.  Whether 
claims  of  this  sort  to  Southern  deputy  marshals  are  paid 
under  any  circumstances  and  if  so,  the  measures  necessary 
to  be  taken,  I  know  not.  Please  send  this  note  to  some 
claim  agent — and  if  he  shall  think  any  thing  can  be  made 
of  it  and  he  will  write  me  I  will  put  him  in  communication 
with  ]\Irs.  Futrel. 
Washington",  D.  C. 


To  D.  L.  Swain. 

Jan.  5  1867. 

Your  kind  letter  of  condolence  was  received.  I  cannot 
as  yet  recover  from  the  afflicting  shock.  My  lovely  and 
beloved  daughter  whose  life  was  so  free  from  guile  that  I 
cannot  remember  even  to  have  had  occasion  to  rebuke  her, 
is  continually  present  to  my  mind,  and  so  enervates  me 
that  I  can  scarcely  perform  my  duties,  now  so  numerous 
and  diversified  that  I  should  scarcely  be  equal  to  their  per- 
formance under  other  circumstances. 

You  will  have  seen  that  I  nominated  A.  S.  Merrimon, 
Jno.  A.  Gilmer,  P.  H.  Winston,  Bedford  Brown  and 
J.  M.  Leach  to  go  to  Washington  under  the  resolution 
you  drew  up,  one  of  the  chief  objects  of  the  mission  (the 
only  specified  object)  being  to  get  relief  from  the  land 
tax.  ISTone  of  them  have  given  this  subject  any  thing  like 
the  consideration  you  have.  T  suggest  that  you  commu- 
nicate to  them  your  views.  Gilmer  declines  to  serve  on 
account  of  ill  health.  I  have  not  nominated  another  to 
fill  his  place.     Can  you  suggest  a  fit  man  to  fill  his  place  ? 

P.  S.     T  inclose  $10.  which  I  believe  is  the  sum  due 
you  on  acct  of  expenses  of  our  late  trip  to  Washington. 
Chapel  Hill. 


COKRESPOXDEXCE    OF    JoXATHAN    Woimi.  859 

To  ^y.  F.  Leak. 

Jan.  5  1807. 

Your  late  letter  is  received.  The  duties  of  my  position,  Political  con- 
enormouflv  burdensome  on  account  of  our  anomalous  con- 
dition make  it  impossible  for  me  to  answer  at  all — much 
less  at  any  length,  the  many  kind  letters  received  from 
sources — as  in  the  case  of  yours — where  if  it  were  possible, 
I  would  like  to  go  fully  into  the  subject. 

The  most  alarming  feature  of  our  affairs  at  present,  is 
the  effort  of  Holden  and  his  followers  to  ride  into  power 
by  the  disfranchisement  of  the  great  body  of  our  white 
men  and  the  universal  enfranchisement  of  the  negroes. 
The  negroes  are  carried  away  with  this  prospect.  It  is 
greatly  to  be  feared  that  he  will  engender  malevolence  to- 
wards the  whites  in  the  minds  of  the  simpler  race. 

Congress  is  not  deluded  to  the  extent  you  suppose  as  to 
the  disposition  of  the  South.  The  grand  object  is  the  re- 
tention of  power  over  us,  and  tiie  stories  as  to  our  loyalty 
are  matured  and  encouraged  to  justify  their  revolutionary 
measures  in  the  minds  of  the  great  masses  of  their  people. 

Anything  our  leading  Secessionists  would  swear  would 
be  treated  as  real  perjury.  Rejjresentations  by  such  of 
our  people  as  went  into  the  rebellion  not  by  choice,  but 
by  force  of  surrounding  circumstances,  made  to  the  mod- 
erate Republicans,  is  much  more  likely  to  be  efficacious.  I 
have  appointed  Bedford  Brown,  Jno.  A.  Gilmer,  Judge 
Merrimon,  Genl.  Leach  and  P.  H.  Winston  to  go  to  Wash- 
ington to  do  what  they  can  and  make  to  us  such  sugges- 
tions founded  on  what  they  may  learn,  as  they  may  deem 
suited  to  our  condition. 

I  am  clear  that  we  assent  to  no  pretended  compromise 
by  way  of  amendment  to  the  Constitution — proposed  by  a 
fraction  of  a  Constitutional  Congress,  but  that  we  place 
our  reliance  on  the  judicial  and  Executive  departments 
of  the  Govt,  and  if  they  fail  manfully  bide  under  fate  as 
mere  force,  Avhich  we  are  impotent  to  resist,  may  impose. 


860  NoKTH  Cakolina  Historical  Commission. 

I  have  not  only  hope,'  but  confidence  that  the  action  of 
the  Suprtme  Court  sustained  by  the  Prest.  will  shield  us 
from  all  the  proposed  schemes  of  reorganising  our  State 
govornuient,  or  changing  our  State  Constitution,  if  our 
peojde  remain  firm  in  asserting  our  rights.  If  the  South 
become  panic  stricken  and  lose  sight  of  their  rights  and 
dignity,  the  National  Government,  losing  sight  of  the  Con- 
stitution, will  soon  become  chaotic  and  degenerate  into  a 
great  mob,  ruled  only  by  the  will  of  the  hour. 

Any  further  concessions  will  but  invite  further  en- 
cruachnients — and  instead  of  protecting  us,  will  result  in 
the  total  overthrow  of  Constitutional  liberty. 

Besides  my  public  cares  which  oppress  me,  I  am  ener- 
vated, almost  prostrated  by  a  late  grievous  domestic  ca- 
lamity. 

EOCKIXGHAM. 


To  B.  S.  Hedrick. 

Jan.  5  1861. 

A  gentleman  of  the  bar  of  this  State  has  sent  me  the 
inclosed  argument  with  the  request  that  I  will  submit  it 
to  some  gentleman  of  learning  who  has  considered  the 
subject  and  return  it  to  him  with  such  remarks  on  the 
same  as  such  person  may  be  willing  to  make. 

Having  heard  when  in  Washington  City  that  [.S'ic]  Judge 
Sharkey  in  what  way  the  expression  of  the  Supreme  Court 
could  be  obtained  on  the  subject  discussed,  I  ask  the  favor 
of  you  to  submit  the  argument  to  his  examination,  if  he 
be  in  yr  city,  with  request  that  he  examine  and  return  to 
me  with  any  remarks  he  may  be  willing  to  make  on  it. 

Wasiiixgtox,  D.  C. 


COKEESPO.XDKXCE    OF    JOXATHAX    WoKTII.  861 

To  M.  C.  Johnson. 

J  mi.  5th  1867. 

Yours  of  the  29th  iilt.  and  the  newspaper  referred  to  u"J'{;^v|'rd°  ^ 
bv  YOU  reed.  I  have  read  your  article  "The  political  fu-  «'"«^"dment. 
ture  of  the  South,''  with  profound  pain.  In  niy  opinion 
no  calamity  which  poAver  can  inflict  on  us  can  equal  that 
likely  to  result  from  voluntary  ratification  of  the  Howard 
amendment.  And  I  think  we  cannot  expect  honorable 
performance  of  any  terms  of  compromise  unconstitution- 
ally proposed  and  accepted  without  apprehension  of  more 
grievous  oppression. 

I  do  not  deem  it  politic  under  any  circumstances,  for  a 
people  or  a  man  to  accept  terms  of  settling  a  controversy 
whereby,  such  people  or  man  would  forfeit  self-esteem.  I 
think  the  State  Avill  be  protected  under  our  present  Con- 
stitution, by  the  action  of  the  Judiciary  and  the  Executive. 
If  Revolution  has  gained  a  head  by  which  the  present  Con- 
stitution is  to  be  trodden  down,  and  I  can  see  no  security 
against  its  rage,  by  the  concessions  yon  propose.  The 
dominant  power,  wdien  we  voluntarily  yield  to  degrading 
terms,  "will  naturally  lose  all  respect  for  us. 

I  am  for  relying  on  the  Judiciary :  and  if  that  fail  us, 
manfully  biding  the  fate  physical  power  may  impose.  I 
have  never  been  a  Secessionist. 

Lexixgtox"^  Ky. 


To  Thomas  Ruffin.^ 

Jan.  7  IS 67. 

A  citizen  of  this  State  who  desires  me  not  to  furnish  Asking  advice, 
his  name,  has  sent  me  the  inclosed  argument,  with  the  re- 
quest that  I  submit  it  to  some  eminent  constitutional  law- 


1  Thomas  Ruffin,  of  Alamance  and  Orange,  the  most  distinguished 
jurist  of  the  State,  for  many  years  Chief  Justice.  He  had  been  a 
member  of  the  Peace  Conference  of  1861,  and  while  there  was  con- 
vinced of  the  necessity  of  war. 


862  !N"oRTH  Carolina  Historical  Commissiox. 

yers  and  return  it  to  liijn  with  tlieir  views  as  to  the  sound- 
ness of  his  argument  and  conchisions. 

Will  Yon  examine  it  and  if  you  deem  it  expedient,  sub- 
mit it  to  Gov.  Graham  and  let  me  know  your  views 
thereon. 

The  terrible  domestic  eahimity  which  I  apprehended 
when  I  saw  you,  almost  disqualifies  me  to  discharge  my 
public  duties. 

I  grow  stronger  in  my  faith  that  we  shall  find  in  the 
most  conservative  feature  of  our  government,  the  Judi- 
ciary, a  shield  against  the  most  Revolutionary  plan  of  Con- 
gress, and  just  now  feel  more  solicitude  for  domestic  quiet, 
than  I  do  as  to  the  Congressional  plan  of  Territorialising 
the  State.  Holden  having  lost  the  confidence  of  the  white 
race,  by  associating  with  our  external  foes,  to  engender 
animosity  between  the  whites  and  blacks  and  to  get  into 
power  through  the  agency  of  the  poor  ignorant  negro.  He 
has  made  much  impression  on  them  hereabouts  and 
through  the  agency  of  secret  lawyers,  I  fear  will  deceive 
the  masses  of  them  as  leaders  often  deceive  and  mislead 
the  more  intelligent  whites. 

KiT-LSBORO. 


To  ^yiUinllt  A.  Gvaliam. 

Jan.  7  1867. 

On  our  visit  to  Washington  lately  I  found  Senators 
Sharkey,  Parsons  and  Marvin  there.  Would  it  not  be 
well  for  you  to  go  on  and  spend  a  w-eek  or  two  longer 
there  ? 

You  will  have  seen  my  nominations  a  few  days  ago, 
under  the  resolution  authorising  me  to  send  a  Commission 
and  pay  their  expenses.  Mr.  Gilmer  declines  to  go  on  ac- 
count of  ill  health.  I  will  place  you  on  the  Commission 
if  you  wnll  accept. 

Or  you  may  go  on  at  once  without  further  communica- 
tion or  at  any  time  within  the  next  week  or  two. 

HiTJ.SBORO. 


COREESPOXDEXCE    OF    JoXATIIAX    ^YoIiTIr.  g(33 

To  John  A.  Gilmer. 

Jan.  7  1867. 

I  much  regret  that  your  health  would  not  v.-arrant  the 
acceptance  of  the  mission  to  Washington. 

i  have  had  no  response  from  any  of  the  other  parties 
nominated,  save  Genl.  Leach  who  writes  he  would  go. 

When  I  went  over  to  Kandolph  with  you  last  Fall  I 
called  on  Mr.  Julian  to  pay  for  rail  and  Steam  passage. 
He  told  me  you  had  paid  for  us.  I  then  called  on  you  to 
refund  when  you  threatened  to  knock  me  down  if  I  named 
it.  Xot  wishing  to  receive  such  rough  use  I  said  no  more, 
but  thought  you  were  over  generous.  ISTow  they  have  sent 
their  bill  to  me  here — for  passage  of  myself  and  Steve 
and  I  paid  it  and  as  I  much  preferred  to  pay  it,  it  is  all 
right,  if  you  didn't  pay  it  also.  If  you  did,  make  them 
refund.     I  have  their  recpt. 

Geee:xsboeo. 


To  LeiL'is  Ilanes. 

Jan.  Sth  1867. 

]\Ir.  Gilmer,  whom  I  nominated  as  one  of  the  commis-  Appointment  to 

^-fT      ,   .  Ill  1       •  c      ^        \N'!ishni!J:tou 

sion  to  go  to  Washington  under  the  late  resolution  of  the  Mission: 
Genl.  A.  declines  to  go  on  account  of  bad  health.  I  have 
not  heard  whether  Judge  Merrimon  or  Mr.  Winston,  have 
gone  or  wdll  go.  Messrs.  Leach  and  Brown  are  now  in 
Washington.  I  hereby  nominate  you  as  one  of  the  com- 
mission and  request  you  to  go  on  at  the  earliest  day  pos- 
sible. Go  to  the  Ebbitt  House.  I  am  authorized  to  re- 
fund your  expenses.  You  are  selected  on  account  of  your 
Union  record.  It  may  be  of  advantage  for  you  to  have 
along  your  speech  in  the  Commons  in  1864  or  1865.  A 
State  electing  you  and  me  certainly  exhibits  no  strong 
Secession  proclivities.  I  desire  that  you  stay  in  Washing- 
ton as  long  as  you  may  think  you  can  do  any  good  for 
i^orth  Carolina. 


S64  XoKTir  Carolina  IIistokical  Commission. 

[P.  S.J — 1  write  from  home  and  cannot  send  you  a  copy 
of  the  resolution  under  which  you  are  appointed.  A  copy 
was  sent  to  Mr.  Leach  and  ]\Ir.  Brown. 

Salisbury. 


To  Bedford  Brouni  S  J.  .V.  Leach. 

Jan.  9th  1S67. 

The  mails  are  probably  obstructed  whereby  I  have  heard 
nothing-  from  jndge  Merrimon  or  Mr.  Winston.  I  have 
appointed  Lewis  Hanes  in  place  of  Mr.  Gilmer,  who  de- 
clines to  go  on  account  of  bad  health. 

I  hope  you  will  not  be  in  a  hurry  to  leave  Washington. 
Stay  as  long  as  you  may  think  your  presence  serviceable 
to  the  State. 

It  is  not  necessary  that  you  act  as  a  joint  commission. 
If  some  have  to  leave  very  soon  others  might  remain  longer. 

Washington,  D.  C. 


I'o  Bedford  Brown  cG  -/.  M.  Leach. 

Jan.  9th  1867. 
Other    commissioners    not    heard    from.       Proceed    lei- 
surely in  your  commission.     Will  write  fnlly. 
Washington,  D.  C. 


To  Nereus  MendenJiaJI. 

Jan.  10  1867. 

You  mentioned  to  me  when  I  last  saw  you  that  you  had 

a  petition  for  the  pardon  of  Davis,  convicted  and 

sentenced  to  be  hanged  by  Guilford  Supr.  Court.     I  sup- 


Correspondence  of  Jonathan  Worth.  865 

posed  that  petition  Avas  to  be  presented  at  a  suitable  time. 
Having  heard  nothing  more  from  it,  and  the  day  of  exe- 
cution being  ^ear  at  hand,  it  has  occurred  to  me  it  may 
have  been  entrusted  to  some  person  who  has  neglected  to 
present  it. 

The  facts  which  have  been  presented  to  me,  make  the 
impression  that  he  is  a  criminal  bent  on  evil;  but  being 
young  and  ignorant,  I  feel  inclined  to  commute  the  sen- 
tence of  hanging  for  a  long  period  of  hard  labor  in  a  peni- 
tentiary, should  the  Genl  A.  authorise  such  commutation. 

A  petition,  asking  me  to  respite  him  until  it  shall  be 
ascertained  whether  such  power  of  commutation  shall  be 
conferred  on  me,  would  probably  receive  a  favorable  re- 
sponse. As  the  facts  now  appear  before  me  I  shall  cer- 
tainly not  pardon  him. 

'Ntav  Garden. 


To  Bedford  Brotvn  and  others. 

January  12  1867. 
Knowino'  that  Gov.  Sw^ain  had  ffiven  to  the  matter  of  concerning 

o  °  Holden's  speech 

the  tax  on  lands  under  the  Act  of  Congress  of  1862  much  1°  Raieigh. 
consideration  and  thinking  that    his  reflections    and  re- 
searches might  be  of  service  to  you  I  addressed  him  a  let- 
ter on  the  subject — and  herewith  inclose  his  reply. 

The  late  efforts  of  the  Korth  Carolina  Kadicals  who  de- 
rive all  their  notions  and  blindly  follow  their  leader  Mr. 
Holden,  look  to  the  disfranchisement  of  the  great  body  of 
the  whites  and  the  enfranchisement  of  all  the  negroes, 
w^hereby  the  negroes  would  become  the  dominant  political 
power  in  the  State.  Mr.  Holden  has  thrown  off  his  dis- 
guise— addresses  the  negToes  in  night  assemblies — has 
printed  and  circulated  among  them  for  their  signatures 
asking  Congress  to  carry  out  this  program — And  in  a 
speech  made  to  them  a  night  or  two  ago,  as  I  learn  from 
an  intelligent  negro  who  was  present  (no  white  men  save 

Vol.  2—14 


866  oS'oKTU    CaUOLIXA    lIlSTOElCAJ      COMMISSIOJS. 

1  111  ISC  le.<s  respectable  than  the  negroes  were  present  j  that 
he  told  them  Xorth  Carolina  had  made  last  year  some 
100,000  bales  of  cotton,  lie  impiired  whose  labor  made 
this  cotton — who  got  the  money,  etc.  The  design  is  to 
make  the  negroes  dis-satisiied  with  the  whites  by  making 
them  believe  they  are  still  in  ett'ect  slaves,  working  for  the 
whites.  He  succeeds  in  deceiving  the  credulous  creatures — 
and  winds  np  with  the  assurance  that  they  are  soon  to  be 
relieved — that  in  a  short  time  their  oppressors  will  be  put 
out  of  power  and  the  State  government  committed  to  their 
hands  and  a  few  benevolent  white  men  like  himself. 

I  do  not  know  that  the  knowledge  of  these  machinations 
can  aid  you  in  your  mission — but  I  deem  it  proper  that 
you  be  advised  of  this  new  phase  in  domestic  affairs. 

The  white  emissaries  of  Holden  operate  in  getting  sig- 
natures to  these  memorials  through  extensive  secret  or- 
ganizations both  among  the  white  and  colored  population — 
Red  Strings — loyal  leagues,  etc. — and  by  holding  out  to 
others,  not  attached  to  these  organizations,  that  their  only 
chance  to  save  their  lands  from  confiscation,  is  to  sign 
these  memorials.  Even  so  intelligent  a  man  as  Junius 
Sanders,  of  Johnston,  told  me  on  yesterday  that  one  of 
these  memorials  was  presented  to  him  and  he  was  urged 
to  sign  it  to  save  his  lands. 

I  believe  through  these  agencies  a  flood  of  petitions 
numerously  sig-ned  by  blacks,  nearly  en  mass,  and  by  many 
whites,  will  shortly  find  their  way  into  Congress  from 
this  State,  praying  for  the  abolition  of  the  ])resent  State 
Government  and  a  re-organization  according  to  the  most 
ultra  schemes  of  the  revolutionary  Disunionists  who  now 
lead  the  Congress. 

Wasiiix(;t()X.  D.  C. 


Correspondence  of  Jonathan  Worth.  867 

To  George  llou-ai-d. 

Jan.  12  IS 67. 

I  am  aniioye  ^  by  an  editorial  in  the  Tarboro  Houilierner  Request  for 
ol  the  lOth  iiibt.  ni  which  it  .stated  that  there  me  organized 
coiiqjaiiies  of  malefactors  in  Pitt,  Greeue,  etc. — that  the 
militia,  called  out  to  suppress  these  organizations,  have 
sustained  defeat,  etc,  and  acknowledging  the  impotency 
of  the  State  authorities  to  arrest  the  disorder  and  a  con- 
sequent call  on  the  Federal  authorities  for  help.  Kea<l 
the  article.  Nothing  I  have  seen  in  any  Radical  Journal 
furnishes  so  much  pabulum  to  those  who  would  reduce  us 
to  a  territorial  condition.  I  have  had  no  official  notice 
of  the  existence  of  such  organizations.  I  hear  there  are 
lurking  robbers  and  murderers  but  I  had  not  been  informed 
that  they  had  attempted  to  resist  the  execution  of  civil 
process,  or  that  they  had  so  banded  that  the  militia  could 
be  of  any  service.  The  difficulty,  as  I  understand  it,  con- 
sists in  ascertaining  the  names  of  the  guilty  parties. 

If  your  editor  had  acted  wisely  they  would  have  in- 
formed me  by  letter,  instead  of  furnishing  the  best  of  ma- 
terial to  those  who  would  destroy  us. 

If  you  can  furnish  me  any  information  or  make  me  any 
suggestion  tending  to  enable  me,  even  by  stretch  of  Execu- 
tive authority,  to  bring  these  malefactors  to  Justice,  I 
will  be  greatlv  obliged  to  vou. 

Tarboro. 


To  ^Y.  T.  Fair  cloth. 

Jan.  12  1S07. 
The  character  of  the  State,  at  home  and  abroad,  is  beinc;  Rcmest  forinfor- 

^_   mation  as  to  con- 
greatly  damaged    by  the    reports    with  which    the    local  fiitions  in  tue  East. 

papers,    Tarboro    SoniJiernn-.    Xcwliern    Commercial    etc 

are  continually  filled,  as  gross  murders,  robberies,  etc.  in 

Pitt,  Greene,  and    other  Counties  in    your    Circuit.      If 

there  be  any  truth  in  these  statements  they  require  some 


868 


Xt)irrH  Cakolina  Histokical  Commission. 


remedy.  They  are  doing  us  incalcublc  mischief  abroad, 
whether  true  or  untrue.  I  am  most  painfully  distressed 
by  them.  Can  you  suggest  any  thing  which  I  can  do  in 
the  premises  ?  Can  you  not  possess  yourself  of  the  need- 
ful information  and  devise  some  plan  of  bringing  these 
malefactors  to  justice  ?  Or  get  the  editors  to  cease  to 
furnish  a  handle  to  those  who  wish  to  disparage  the  civil 
government  of  the  State.  If  the  crimes  are  committed  the 
effort  should  be  to  have  the  malefactors  arrested  and  pun- 
ished. These  publications  expose  the  State  to  obloquy  and 
in  no  way  tend  to  arrest  the  evil. 

GoLDSBOEO. 


OutUning  his 
views  as  to  the 
attitude  of  the 
Radicals. 


To  ^V.  F.  Leah 

Jan.  13th  1867. 

I  perceive  by  yours  of  the  9th  inst.  that  I  must  have 
expressed  myself  obscurely  or  inaccurately  in  reply  to 
your  first  communication. 

My  idea  is  that  members  of  Congress  l^now  that  there 
is  no  real  intention  on  the  part  of  any  considerable  num- 
ber of  Southerners  to  offer  further  resistance  to  the  gov. 
of  the  U.  S.  To  prove  to  them  by  high-minded  Southern 
Secessionists  that  no  disloyalty  now  exists  in  the  South, 
which  they  already  know,  will  accomplish  nothing.  They 
are  willing  that  the  masses  of  their  constituents  shall  labor 
under  the  impression  that  we  are  still  disloyal.  They  are 
unwilling  the  masses  shall  be  undeceived.  The  sole  mo- 
tive of  their  action  is  the  retaining  of  party  ascendency, 
but  it  is  necessary  to  make  the  honest  masses  believe  they 
are  moved  by  patriotic  motives.  They  wnll  not  hear  evi- 
dence much  less  allow  it  to  be  published,  tending  to  es- 
tablish our  willingness  to  obey  the  laws  and  constitution 
of  the  TJ.  S.  They  Jcnoiu  (I  mean  the  members  of  Con- 
gress know)  that  we  submit  in  good  faith — but  they  don't 
intend  their  constituents  shall  know  it.     If  we  offer  evi- 


Correspondence  of  Jonathan  Worth.  869 

deuce  which  Gov.  Graham  asked  leave  to  offer  a  year  ago, 
they  will  not  hear  it — or  will  suj)press  it.  Their  sole 
motive  is  the  retention  of  political  powers.  We  cannot 
reach  the  popular  ear  of  the  ISTorth  through  Congress. 
Dawson  and  other  Southerners  who  mingle  among  them 
and  make  speeches  and  give  direct  explanations,  produce 
effect. 

Rockingham. 


To  Editors  of  the  Wilmington  Journal. 

Jan.  U  1867. 
Confidential. 
I  was  pained  to  see  republished  in  your  Journal   an  Protesting  against 

.  ■^,  "^  .  the  publication  of 

article  from  the  Tarboro  Southerner  oi,  the  10th  inst.  fo'se  reports. 
stating  that  "organised  companies"  of  malefactors  in  Pitt, 
Greene,  etc.  existed — that  the  militia  had  been  called  out 
to  sustain  "defeat"  and  winding  up  by  a  humiliating  ac- 
knowledgment of  the  impotency  of  the  State  authorities 
and  an  appeal  to  the  Federal  authorities  to  give  protec- 
tion.— iSTothing  I  have  seen,  considering  the  source  whence 
it  emanates,  furnishes  such  rich  material  to  the  Radicals. 
If  banditti  are  rampant  in  ]^.  C — if  her  militia  has  sus- 
tained "defeat"  from  them — and  the  State  is  so  impotent 
that  it  becomes  necessary  to  appeal  to  U.  S.  to  aid  us  in 
the  execution  of  our  criminal  laws,  the  radicals  have 
a  pretty  fair  excuse  for  reducing  us  to  a  dependent  terri- 
torial condition  and  endeavoring  to  control  our  municipal 
affairs. 

But  it  is  untrue. — ISTot  an  instance  has  occurred  in  the 
State  where  a  Shff  has  had  resistance  within  18  months 
in  any  locality  of  the  State  to  call  on  his  posse  to  aid  in 
executing  proc£Ss.  The  militia  of  the  county  has  not  sus- 
tained "defeat"  by  banditi  and  if  they  had,  the  Executive 
of  the  State  should  have  been  called  upon,  before  a  piteous 
appeal  is  made  to  Federal  authority  for  help.  The  article 
in  question  wall  do  us  incalculable  mischief.      I  pray  you  to 


>70  Xuirni  Caroli>^a  Historical  Commission. 

have  mure  awv  ui  ibc  piiblieali(jn  uf  such  strictly  Avell-cal- 
culated  (l)iit  not  intended)  to  furnish  pabulum  for  our 
enemies. 

If  crime  is  rampant  in  Pitt,  Greene,  and  neighboring 
counties,  it  is  the  fault  of  the  people  and  the  local  au- 
thorities to  do  their  duty,  and  not  the  impotency  of  the 
State  authority  at  large. 

I  can  see  no  good  end  to  be  accomplished  (but  much 
mischief)  by  the  publication  of  unpunished  outrage  with 
which  the  press  of  the  State  abounds. 

If  facts  come  to  the  possession  of  the  editors  of  our 
Journals  wherein  there  is  apparent  ground  for  suspicion 
that  the  Judiciary,  the  Executive,  or  any  other  State  officer 
has  neglected  the  performance  of  the  duties  imposed  by  law, 
the  good  of  the  State  at  present  requires  that  such  default 
should  be  well  ascertained  before  an  imputation  is  made 
tending  to  justify  the  abolition  of  the  State  government. 
Instead  of  news-paper  articles  such  facts  should  be  com- 
municated to  the  State  officials  as  would  be  likely  to  aid 
them  in  the  performance  of  their  duties.  I  beg  you  to 
consider  these  suggestions. 


To  C.  C.  Clarlc. 

Jan.  13  1867. 
Concerning  false        You  will  have  perceived  that  the  news-papers  of  your 

rt-iwrts.  ^  r    X  ^ 

place,  as  well  as  the  Tarboro  Southerner,  the  Goldsboro 
Neivs  and  others,  are  frequently  publishing  as  matter  of 
much  import  which  reach  them  of  flagrant  outrages  com- 
mitted by  unknown  individuals  or  bands.  A  late  number 
of  the  Sentinel  asserts  that  these  outrages  are  committed 
by  "organised  companies"  in  Pitt,  Greene^  etc.  that  the 
militia  have  made  an  effort  to  give  relief  and  have  sus- 
tained "defeat,"  and  the  editors,  acknowledging  the  im- 
potency of  the  State  authorities  to  protect  the  orderly,  call 
on  the  Federal  antliorities  for  protection.     I  see  this  article 


Correspondence  of  Jonathan  Worth.  871 

transferred  to  the  Wilniington  Joiintal  mid  1  suppose  it 
will  go  the  rounds  of  the  State  press.  Xow  if  there  be 
any  "organised''  bands  of  malefactors,  and  the  local  au- 
thorities are  too  feeble  to  resist  them  (which  I  believe  to 
be  untrue)  an  apj)eal  should  have  been  made  to  the  State 
Executive  before  furnishing  food  to  the  Radicals  by  an  ap- 
peal to  the  Federal  authorities  for  help,  ^o  such  appeal 
has  been  made  to  me,  because,  as  I  suppose,  there  is  no 
occasion  for  military  aid.  I  fear  the  justices  of  the  peace 
and  other  local  officers  in  that  part  of  the  State  are  grossly 
negligent  in  pointing  out  and  bring  malefactors  to  Justice. 
I  have  heard  of  no  difficulty  any  where  in  executing  pro- 
cess, T  see  no  recent  notice  in  the  Commercial  of  the  ex- 
ercise of  Lynch  law  in  Greene. 

These  publications  in  Southern  papers,  are  greedily  re- 
published in  the  Radical  Journals  to  the  great  detriment 
of  the  State.  The  Tarboro  article  is  an  acknowledgement 
of  the  impotency  of  the  State  government,  founded  on  a 
false  statement  of  facts ;  and  an  appeal  to  powers  which 
are  disparaging  and  oppressing  us,  to  keep  here  a  military 
force  to  protect  the  quiet  citizen,  whom  the  State  authori- 
ties cannot  or  will  not  protect. 

These  publications  are  doing  us  incalculable  mischief 
as  you  will  readily  see.  What  can  I  do  in  the  premises  ? 
I  perceive  nothing  that  can  be  done  only  to  exhort  these 
editors  not  to  allow  their  anxiety  to  furnish  a  news  article 
to  furnish  pabulum  to  our  enemies  while  there  is  no 
counter  benefit  to  set  off  this  mischief.  If  they  would  im- 
press all  the  people  that  laws  cannot  protect  them,  if  they 
are  too  cowardly  or  so  remiss  that  they  dare  not  or  will 
not  expose  the  names  of  the  perpetrators  of  crime  against 
them,  they  would  exhibit  sense  and  deserve  well  of  the 
public.  And  if  it  be  true,  which  I  do  not  believe,  that 
'"organised"  bandits  prevent  the  local  officers  from  dis- 
charging their  duties,  then  an  appeal  for  help,  in  a  proper 
manner,  not  through  the  press,  should  be  made  to  the  Ex- 
ecutive for  aid  before  w(>  are  held  up  to  the  nation  a^  un- 


872  JS'oKTii  Cakolina  Historical  Commission. 

able  to  execute  our  laws  and  a  luiiniliating  appeal  made 
to  our  oppressors  for  help. 

I  do  not  deem  it  fit  that  /  make  a  direct  appeal  to  these 
editors.  The  object  of  this  letter  is  to  ask  you  to  use  your 
influeuce  with  such  of  them  as  you  may  properly  approach 
to  discontinue  a  course  so  decided  to  us. 

If  there  be  any  thing  I  can  properly  do,  to  aid  in  the 
execution  of  the  laws,  I  need  not  assure  you  of  my  readi- 
ness to  even  stretch  my  powers  to  accomplish  the  object. 

I  shall  be  obliged  to  you  for  any  suggestion  you  can 
make  touching  this  subject — remarking  that  my  present 
impressions  are  that  the  evil  complained  of  is  not  want 
of  power  in  the  State  nor  counties — but  the  cowardice 
of  the  people  wronged.  In  the  language  of  Vance,  "peo- 
ple who  allow  themselves  to  be  pressed  upon  without  re- 
sentment, cannot  expect  the  laws  to  protect  them." 

JSTew  Bern". 


To  Lydia  Maxwell. 

Jan.  15  IS 67. 

Defending  the  Yours  of  the  Ttli  lias  just  coiiie  to  hand  to-day.     I  was 

state  and  its  ,     ,  .  .       ,  i  c  •        i 

people.  glad  to  receive  it,   but  was  sorry  to  gather  irom  it  that 

this  the  incident  which  lately  took  us  to  Washington,  to 
wit,  to  protest  against  a  military  commander,  abolishing 
our  govt,  by  proclamation — ,  made  us  sink  deeper — are 
you  at  variance  with  the  opinion  you  had  previously  enter- 
tained that  I  had  some  pretensions  to  charity — and  good- 
ness of  heart.  You  think  every  human  man  ''iSTorth  and 
South"  Avould  have  approved  Genl  Sickle's  law  forbidding 
the  infliction  of  corporal  punishment — and  as  I  disapprove 
it  you  do  not  disguise  that  in  your  estimation  I  do  not 
belong  in  this  class  of  men.  iN^ow  I  give  you  credit  for 
candor  in  this  doclaratiou.  I  know  no  good  men,  North 
or  South,  save  a  few  who  have  their  minds  so  engrossed 
with  the  vice  of  slaverv  that  all  other  crimes  become  venial 


COEKESPONDENCE    OF    JONATHAN    WoRTII.  873 

in  their  estimation,  who  disapprove  of  my  action  in  this 
matter. 

We  have  no  Penitentiary.  In  my  last  message,  a  copy 
of  which  I  will  forward  to  yon,  I  recommend  the  building 
of  one.  Until  this  shall  be  authorised  by  law  and  after- 
wards, a  governor  must  see  the  laws  of  his  State  executed. 
The  law  of  Moses,  and  of  England,  for  some  1500  years 
past,  have  made  whipping  the  punishment  for  certain 
crime.  Our  laws,  since  the  first  constitution  of  the  State 
have  made  whipping  the  penalty  for  bigamy,  larceny,  etc. 
You  say  it  is  a  relic  of  barbarism.  See.  25  Chap.  Deuter- 
onomy, Matthew  Chap,  5  v  17,  Christ  tells  us  that  he  did 
not  come  to  destroy  the  law  but  to  fulfill  it.  See  Exodus, 
Chap.  27  V.  2 — .  Whipping  was  ordered  by  Moses.  Some 
of  his  laws  are  not  expressly  abrogated  by  the  laws  of  our 
Saviour  are  still  in  force.  I  have  not  been  taught  to  regard 
Moses  as  a  barbarian — nor  our  English  ancestors  for  long 
centuries  past,  nor  the  people  of  your  native  State.  I 
know  it  is  quite  the  custom  of  many  of  our  ^Rorthern 
friends  to  consider  I^orth  Carolina  as  out  of  the  pale  of 
civilization  and  to  call  whipping  for  crime,  notwithstand- 
ing it  is  traced  to  the  Divine  Lawgiver,  as  you  call  it  a 
relic  of  barbarism — but  ive  have  not  lost  all  self  esteem 
and  find  no  reason  to  blush  at  the  statistics  of  crime  in 
I^orth  Carolina  as  compare'd  with  the  State  where  the  peo- 
ple deem  themselves-  so  much  wiser  and  so  much  more 
civilized  than  they  deem  us.  These  disparaging  compari- 
sons do  not  tend  to  the  cordial  restoration  of  kind  feelings 
between  the  people  of  all  sections  of  our  country  which  all 
good  men  ought  to  cultivate.  If  you  think  we  retain  "a 
relic  of  barbarism"  and  we  deem  the  horror  you  profess 
at  whipping  a  rogue  or  bigamist,  as  sickly  sentimentality — 
mutual  charity  should  restrain  us  from  harsh  commentary 
upon  each  others'  views. 

I  do  not  object  however  to  putting  such  criminals  in  a 
penitentiary  instead  of  whipping  them — but  I  do  object 
against  a  military  officer  being  invested  with  power  to  an- 


874  A'oirrii   Cakoli.na  IIistokical  Co-mmissiox. 

mil  sufli  of  the  cix'il  l;i\vs  of  the  state  as  he  may  deem  uu- 
^\•ise  and  my  attempt  to  resist  this  arrogant  assumption  of 
])o\ver  ought  to  elevate  rather  than  hjwer  me  in  the  esti- 
mation of  all  good  men — and  with  the  certainty  to  which 
you  refer  that  you  and  I  must  soon  appear  before  the  great 
judge,  I  have  no  apprehension  of  condemnation  for  this 
act  of  my  life.     I  regard  it  as  a  merit. 

I  have  never  known  an  hour  when  I  did  not  desire  the 
preservation  of  the  Union  and  the  Constitution.  Hence  I 
abhorred  Secession  which  sought  to  dissolve  the  Union — 
and  hence  I  equally  abhor  Radicalism  which  treats  the 
Union  as  actually  dissolved,  and  undertakes  to  state  to 
the  States  how  they  shall  execute  their  Constitution  and 
laws. 

I  was  amazed  at  one  who  knows  some  thing  of  the  con- 
dition of  nine  tenths  of  the  freednien  to  ask  that  all  of 
them  at  once  shall  be  placed  on  the  same  footing  with  the 
whites  as  to  voting  and  holding  office.  I  am  willing  some 
standard  of  intelligence  or  property  shall  be  adopted  by 
which  the  better  class  of  them — and  all  of  them  as  they 
reach  such  Standard — may  have  the  privilege  and  I  am 
willing  to  be  taxed  to  help  any  of  them  remove  to  Indiana 
or  elsewhere,  where  (  I  infer  from  your  letter)  they  may 
expect  equality  with  the  whites — x\.nd  I  hope  as  much  as 
I  can  hope  for  any  thing  in  the  face  of  all  history  and  ex- 
perience that  you  may  succeed  in  making  the  negro  the 
equal  of  the  white  man — I  desire  that  they  be  educated — 
but  as  you  have  few  negroes  among  you  and  you  are  rich — 
your  land  dotted  over  with  school  houses,  the  same  liberal 
benevolence  which  makes  you  send  young  women  and 
money  here  to  educate  the  blacks,  you  must  have  educated 
young  negresses  among  you.  When  you  and^  I  Avant 
a  bed-fellow  we  prefer  a  white  person  to  a  negro,  and  on 
the  same  principle  you  ought  to  send  your  educated  ne- 
gresses here.  When  a  white  young  woman  comes  here  to 
take  charge  of  a  negro  school,  though  she  may  be  impelled 
by  a  high  sense  of  religious  duty,  a  suspicion  among  stran- 


Correspondence  of  Jonathan  Worth.  875 

gers  will  arise  th'it  the  impelling  motive  is  the  treasurer's 
money :  aud  when  a  white  young  woman  makes  negroes 
her  associates  here  as  well  as  in  Indiana,  a  suspicion  aris- 
ing from  the  adage,  ''birds  of  a  feather  flock  together," 
excludes  her  from  the  company  of  well  bred  people,  at 
least  until  a  long  course  of  good  conduct  extorts  esteem. 

The  representation  which  I  sujopose  you  continually 
read  and  believe  that  Union  men  and  negroes  are  mal- 
treated and  cannot  have  justice  before  our  Courts  are  with- 
out color  of  truth.  Tliey  are  originated  and  propagated 
with  the  malicious  purpose  of  keeping  up  hostility  towards 
us.  Our  laws  have  been  reformed  so  that  no  discrimina- 
tion exists  to  the  prejudice  of  the  negro  as  to  his  rights  to 
personal  security  and  protection  to  his  person  and  property 
and  the  law  is  as  impartially  administered  in  this  State  as 
it  is  in  any  of  the  United  States,  and  this  fact  no  respect- 
able person  here  will  deny.  Special  instances  of  cruel 
wrong  occur  here  as  they  do  every  where.  I  ardently  de- 
sire a  restoration  of  the  Union  on  the  basis  of  mutual  kind- 
ness, but  I  look  for  no  such  result  while  the  Xorth  shall 
assume  superiority  in  virtue  and  intelligence  over  us  and 
assume  to  demand  of  us  the  enactment  of  laws  and  amend- 
ments of  the  Constitution  which  we  deem  pernicious  to  us 
and  degrading  to  us. 

I  would  not  restore  slavery  if  I  could  nor  w^ould  one 
man  in  ten  in  this  State :  and  nobody  expects  its  restora- 
tion, but  whenever  I  conclude  the  negTo  is  entitled  to  polit- 
ical and  social  equality  with  me,  I  shall  not  feel  humili- 
ated when  any  of  my  kin  shall  inter-marry  with  negroes. 
The  Caucasian  race  always  has  been  and  always  will  be 
superior  to  the  negro  race. 

In  conclusion  let  me  say  I  have  long  endeavored  in  all 
my  conduct  pul)lic  and  private  to  act  as  nearly  as  possible 
according  to  the  cardinal  principles  of  the  new^  testament — 
the  chiefest  of  which  I  regard  as  Charity — and  licnce  I 
do  not  allow  myself  to  thinl-  ill, — much  less  to  speak  ill  of 
others  with  whom  I  cannot  agree  as  to  principles  of  mor- 


876  North  Carolina  Historical  Commission. 

ality  and  religion, — and  carrying  out  this  doctrine  I  desire 
that  the  North  and  the  South — that  each  State,  as  provided 
in  the  Constitution,  shall  make  such  laws  as  they  deem 
proper,  and  not  inconsistent  with  the  Constitution  of  the 
U.  S.,  without  intermeddling  with  others. 

I  have  made  this  letter  much  too  long.  I  wish  your  let- 
ter had  been  confined  as  it  began  to  a  revival  of  old  recol- 
lections and  a  sketch  of  our  family  conditions.  It  would 
have  been  most  gratifying  to  know  how  many  children  you 
have,  wliether  they  are  living  near  you  and  doing  well — 
and  to  have  heard  something  of  Camden  Thomas,  Reu- 
ben, etc. 

Liberty,  Union  Co.,  Iowa. 


To  Nathaniel  Boyden. 

Ealeigii,  N.  C.  Jan.  18  1867. 
******* 

Hoidenf  course  ^^J  latest  information  as  to  Ilolden's  operations  among 

his  new  clients — the  negroes — is  that  he  is  being  less  suc- 
cessful than  he  has  usually  been  in  deceiving  the  whites. 
In  this  city  are  a  few  negroes  Avhom  he  formerly  owned 
whom  he  sent  off  handcuffed  to  be  sold  from  their  wives 
living  here.  There  statements  here  impair  the  confidence 
of  the  negroes  in  the  professions  of  their  new  ally.  Out 
of  the  city  his  paper  has  little  circulation  and  the  reports 
of  his  late  servants  travel  nearly  as  fast  as  hi?  new-born 
professions  of  zeal  for  the  African  race.  At  present  the 
negroes  seem  to  be  exhibiting  more  sagacity  than  could 
have  been  expected. 

I  can  make  no  suggestion  as  to  the  action  of  your  Com- 
mission save  only  that  you  must  bo  the  judges  how  long 
some  of  you  shall  remain  in  Washington.  /  favor  the 
longest  period  of  stay  which  yoar  judgment  may  approve. 

Washington,  D.  C. 


CORRESPC  \VoRTIl.  877 

To  J.     .  .^,  ,..:drd.^ 

January  19th  1807. 

eports. 


Years  of  the  16th  instant,  in  reply  to  mine  touchi:-^'  the  |:e°"rt™"'^  '^"'" 


matter  of  the  public^  m  the  Tarboro  >Southen}er,  has 

been  received,  and  it  sLv^.vo  as  I  expected,  that,  the  pabli- 
cation,  so  far  as  the  Journal  was  concerned,  was  an  inad- 
vertence. 

I  like  jour  suggestion  about  writing  to  the  Editors  of 
the  Southerner,  and,  in  doing  so,  you  are  free  to  use  my 
letter  in  the  way  which,  in  your  judgment,  it  seems  most 
likely  to  produce  the  effect  desired — except  that  of  pub- 
lication. 

I  addressed  a  letter  myself  to  the  Editors  of  the  South- 
erner, at  the  time  I  wrote  to  you,  and  have  their  response, 
which  is  anything  but  satisfactory.  They  give  me  the 
name  of  their  informant,  but  with  the  chicken-hearted 
plea  that  I  will  not  use  his  name  for  fear  of  retaliation  at 
the  hands  of  this  same  "handitti" .  They,  in  effect,  assail 
the  civil  authorities  for  not  arresting  a  set  of  thieves,  the 
fear  of  whom  drives  them,  in  their  timidity,  to  a  con- 
structive participation  in  their  guilt,  by  concealment  of 
the  names  of  the  perpetrators.  In  this  state  of  things,  I 
can  do  nothing,  but  despise  their  weakness : — and  I  will 
thank  you  to  do  what  you  can  towards  protecting  our  peo- 
ple at  large  against  the  damaging  effects  of  the  general 
circulation,  through  the  press  of  the  State,  of  such  reports. 

WlLMHSrOTON". 


To  Thomas  Ruffin,  Sr. 

Jan.  19  1S67. 

Our  friend  Eaton  is  not  the  author  of  the  article,  which 
at  the  instance  of  the  writer  of  it,  I  submitted  to  your  re- 
view.    I  am  strictly  enjoined  not  to  give  his  name. 


1  Editor  of  the  Wilmington  Journal. 


878  XORTH 


/AI  MISSION. 


I  took  the  spuie  vie  jticle  which  you  do,  hut 

couli  not  state  so  clearly  as  auu  have,  1  le  .-■■f»ie  by  which 
I  reiched  my  p>  iu'ln-icns. 

ITlI.LSBORO. 


To  A.   W.  l„!johI. 

January  19  1867. 
False  reiwrts.  jf  ^^jjj.  State  government  were  so  inefficient  as  it  is  rep- 

reseiited  to  he  in  article  from  the  Tarboro  Southerner,  re- 
published in  your  last  issue,  there  would  be  very  plausi- 
ble grounds  for  the  re-construction  project.  I  am  almost 
disheartened  by  the  continued  pabulum  our  ])ress  is  fur- 
nishing to  our  enemies.  If  we  are  such  barbarians  that 
organised  banditti  overcome — '"defeat"  our  militia  and 
the  State  authorities  are  so  impotent  or  indifferent  that 
our  Southern  Journals  have  piteously  to  implore  Federal 
help,  we  have  little  cause  of  complaint,  if  the  Radicals 
take  charge  of  us.  And  it  is  not  true  that  there  are  any 
organised  bands  of  banditti — the  militia  has  not  been 
called  out — much  less  sustained  "defeat."  I  have  not  been 
called  upon  to  aid  the  civil  authority  for  the  very  good 
reason  that  no  such  aid  is  needed.  No  opposition  is 
offered  to  the  execution  of  civil  process. 

I  know  no  other  way  to  repress  the  publication  and  re- 
])ublication  of  these  articles  which  do  the  State  more  mis- 
chief— nuicli  more  mischief — than  Holden  and  his  fol- 
lowers can  do  us,  but  appeal  to  the  editors  of  news-papers. 
I  am  persuaded  this  clipping  found  its  way  into  your 
paper  by  oversight.  I  have  addressed  the  Southerner  and 
have  their  answer.  They  onlv  state  talk  the  foundation 
of  their  indiscreet  editorial. 

This  must  be  regarded  as  a  friendly  and  confidential 
communication.  You  can  say  if  you  choose  that  you  learn 
from  a  reliable  source  all  the  facts  I  have  stated,  except 
my  correspondence  with  the  Southerner. 

Greensboro. 


COKEESPONDENCE    OF    JONATHAN    WoKTK.  879 

To  11\  A.  Ilcarne  &  William  Biggs.^ 

Jan.  10  ISiJl. 

Yours  of  the   l-itli  was  reL'ei\'e<l  last  iiiglit. 

I  had  no  idea  that  you  intended  the  mischief  which  1  fa i>^e  reports, 
was  sure  would  result  from  the  late  article.  1  knew  you 
were  warm  friends  of  my  a(,bninistration  and  that  you 
earnestly  endeavored  to  sustain  the  State  govt.  I  desired 
my  own  friendly  maimer  to  express  my  strong  convic- 
tion that  yr  article  and  others  of  similar  character,  ac- 
knowledging the  impotency  of  the  State  authorities  to  re- 
press crime  and  therefore  calling  for  Federal  help  as  a 
mistake  as  to  facts  alone  and  not  as  prejudicial  to  the  best 
interests  of  the  State.  As  I  expected,  it  is  going  the 
rounds  of  the  papers,  and  wherever  credited  (and  it  will 
be  greedily  credited  in  the  Radical  States)  it  proves  that 
our  people  are  lawless,  and  our  State  authorities  impotent 
or  grossly  remiss. 

The  facts  as  you  state  them  in  your  letter  of  the  14th 
do  not  warrant  your  news-paper  attitude,  and  turn  out 
as  they  have  turned  out  every  where  in  the  State  where 
I  have  had  any  occasion  to  investigate.  The  militia  were 
not  called  out  and  consequently  did  not  sustain  ''defeat." 
You  do  not  pretend  that  the  Shff.  cannot  operate  process 
or  that  your  justices  of  the  peace  will  not  perform  their 
duties — but  your  informant,  from  cowardice  or  other 
motive,  neglects  to  call  on  the  civil  authorities  to  redress 
the  wrong  done  to  him  by  highway  robbery.  He  knows, 
or  coidd  find  out  through  the  friendly  "officer"  who  caused 
his  mule  to  be  restored  to  him,  ivlio  robbed  him — and  in- 
stead of  issuing  a  warrant  for  the  robber,  he  furnishes  the 
facts  for  a  sensation  news-paper  article,  disparaging  the 
State,  but  is  not  willing  his  name  shall  be  used  to  bring 
the  malefactors  to  justice.  As  you  give  his  name  to  me 
coupled  with  the  request  that  //  shall  not  he  used,  you 
place  the  gentleman  in  an  unenviable  attitude  in  my  esti- 


1  Editors  of  the  Tarboro  l^oiifJicnier. 


880  JS'oRTii  Carolina  Historical  Commission. 

matioii.  I  consider  you  as  having  the  right  to  impose  con- 
ditions to  your  disclosure,  and  hence  your  wishes  will  be 
respected — but  remember — /  Jiave  no  respect  for  your  in- 
formant, notwithstanding'  your  endorsement,  in  the  posi- 
tion in  which  you  leave  him — as  giving  information  dis- 
paraging to  the  government  of  his  State  and  seeking  to 
shelter  his  name  from  resiDonsibility.  No  government  can 
protect  a  people  too  cowardly  to  expose  the  names  of  those 
who  maltreat  them.  This  is  the  only  trouble  in  the  locali- 
ties to  which  you  and  other  journalists  are  continually  re- 
ferring. There  is  neither  want  of  power  nor  of  disposi- 
tion in  the  civil  authorities  of  the  State  to  repress  crime, 
but  catching  is  before  hanging,  and  a  panic  seems  to  pos- 
sess the  minds  of  the  people  in  certain  localities.  If  a 
thief  steals  a  horse,  the  injured  party  is  afraid  to  expose 
him  lest  his  house  should  be  burned.  Civil  government, 
or  military  government,  would  be  equally  impotent  while 
this  want  of  spirit  is  exhibited  by  the  individual  citizens 
wronged. 

I  do  not  understand  by  your  letter  whether  Mr.  Wind- 
ham got  his  mule  returned  through  an  "officer"  of  the  ban- 
ditti or  of  the  militia. 

This  hasty  letter  is  personal — but  intended  to  subserve 
a  public  purpose.  You  ought,  as  I  think,  to  explain  your 
editorial,  which  has  given  rise  to  it. 

TAEIiORO. 


To  W.  L.  Springs. 

Raleigh,  Jan.  22/67. 
opinions  us  to  Owins:  to  the  snow  or  other  causes,  your  letter  of  thi' 

attitude  of  North  ^  "^ 

and  South.  i7th  did  not  reach  me  till  to-day. 

I  find  difficulty  in  answering  your  inquiry.     [Here  fol- 
low about  tivo  pages  ivhich  cannot  be  read.~\ 

The  North  says  we  don't  believe  you  and  you  shall  here- 
after let  the  negroes  rule  and  none  of  you,  who  are  white, 


CORKESPO^'DENCE    OF    JONATHAN    WoRTII.  881 

save  those  whom  many  regard  as  meaner  than  the  negroes, 
shall  have  any  part  in  the  government,  a  man  of  eonimon 
sense  like  jonrself  can  hud  ik)  ditiieulty  iu  understanding 
the  feelings  of  our  people. 

In  my  opinion  friendly  feelings  to  the  jSTorth  can  never 
be  restored  by  the  course  pursued  by  the  dominant  party 
iu  Congress — and  without  such  friendly  feeling,  Xorth 
Carolina  will  not  pay  the  debt,  except  upon  military  co- 
ercion, the  greater  part  of  which  is  due  to  those  whose 
late  actions  justify  her  in  regarding  as  her  enemies. 

Your  question,  therefore,  in  my  opinion,  depends  upon 
the  action  of  Congress.  If  they  should  acknowledge  us 
as  a  State — receive  our  representatives — and  recognize 
our  rights  under  the  .constitution  as  interpreted  by  the 
Supreme  Court  of  the  U.  S.,  Xorth  Carolina  w^oidd  pay 
her  debts  and  perform  all  her  duties  under  the  Constitu- 
tion— In  speculating  in  our  stocks  you  must  solve  this 
political  question.  As  I  view  the  action  of  the  dominant 
powder  in  Congress,  I  find  nothing  to  justify  your  invest- 
ment in  N.  C.  stocks.  It  all  tends  to  an  overthrow  of  our 
constitution  and  the  assumption  of  all  the  powers  of  gov- 
ernment by  Congress. 

^Ly  individual  opinion  is  that  you  make  no  investment 
in  the  bonds  of  ISTorth  Carolina — and  I  believe  investments 
in  the  bonds  of  provinces  of  the  U,  S.  are  equally  unsafe. 
Revolution  is  now  rampant.  Any  speculation  as  to  the 
result  of  a  revolution  may  suit  a  political  gamble — but 
not  a  man  of  your  prudent  views. 

Philadelphia,  Pa. 


Vol.  3—15 


press. 


882  JS'oKTii   Cakoj,i:sa  Historical  Commission. 

To   William  J.  Yatcs.^ 

J  any.  23  1867. 

mSinThe"'"'*'  '^^^^  publication  and  republication  of  articles  through 
the  newspapers  to  the  effect  that  our  laws  or  the  non- 
administration  of  them,  as  must  be  obvious  to  every  body, 
does  great  injury  to  the  State  abroad,  and  ought  to  injure 
it,  if  the  facts  stated  were  true.  There  is  not  a  locality  in 
the  State  where  any  resistance  has  been  offered  to  the 
execution  of  Civil  process,  so  far  as  I  have  heard.  The 
complaints  are  confined  to  a  few  Counties  where  the  cow- 
ardice of  the  citizens  is  such  that  they  will  not  inform  the 
(•i\il  authorities  and  bring  to  punishment  those  who  injure 
them,  lest  greater  injury  should  be  inflicted  by  the  male- 
factor. Laws  cannot  protect  a  people  who  are  too  cow- 
ardly to  prosecute  those  who  injure  them. 

Xot  an  instance  appears  in  any  of  the  re-publications 
which  alleges  any  defect  in  the  laws  or  any  dereliction  of 
duty  on  the  part  of  the  officers  of  the  law,  excepting  0112 
charging  that  the  militia  had  been  called  out  and  sustained 
defeat.  This  w^as  all  a  mistake.  The  militia  had  not  been 
called  out — there  had  been  no  defeat. 

I  give  you  these  facts  which  you  may  use  or  not  as  you 
think  proper.  Of  course  they  must  not  appear  over  my 
name  but  I  will  be  responsible  for  their  accurac}'. 

Chaklotte. 


From  Rev.  Eohcrt  Xcii'vudui. 

Xew  York  2Jf/l,  67. 
Suggesting  encour-      I  received  your  letter  in  due  time  and  thank  you  verv 

agement  of  "  ^  u 

immigration.  j,,^^^.],  f^^,  ^^^  j^  jg  ^^.^^^  ^]^^^  ^^^  Unsettled  State  of  the  Coun- 
try is  damaging  all  interests  of  the  people,  but  I  trust  it 
will  come  to  an  end  in  some  way  or  other.  Emigration 
especially  is  needed  in  my  humble  opinion  under  all  cir- 


'  Editor  of  tho  Charlotte  Democrat. 


COERESPO^'DENCE    OE    JOXATHAN    WOETH.  883 

cumstanccs  and  may  be  least  infected  by  politics.  The 
German  Emigration  is  the  best  of  all  that  any  State  can 
get  as  is  sufficiently  proved  by  facts  well  known  to  all.  As 
for  myself  I  am  no  Agent,  Politician,  or  anything  of  the 
kind,  except  a  German  Pastor  of  the  Church  of  the  Ger- 
man people,  appointed  by  my  Church  for  the  Immigrants 
of  my  people.  Disgusted  with  the  Irish  administration 
of  Emigrant  matters  as  I  have  witnessed  it  for  years  here 
in  ISTew  York  I  would  be  happy  to  see  other  channels 
opened  for  our  German  Emigrants.  Believing  besides  that 
the  northern  parts  of  the  South  are  w^ell  adapted  to  Ger- 
man Immigration  I  would  consider  it  a  good  work  to  be 
done  for  your  Country  as  well  as  for  my  people  if  it  was 
undertaken  and  carried  out  on  moral  and  if  possible  on 
christian  principles.  In  such  a  work  I  would  command 
a  great  influence  as  I  am  well  known  amongst  my  people 
both  here  in  America  and  in  the  old  country.  The  Yan- 
kees are  very  clever  to  undertake  and  carry  out  such  things 
in  their  own  way.  Lately  when  I  came  to  a  friend  of 
mine,  I  saw  hand  bills  lying  on  the  table.  In  looking  over 
I  found  that  a  new  town  and  settlement  was  to  be  started 
somewhere  in  California.  Lots  in  said  town  were  offered 
to  anybody  gratis,  even  without  condition  of  building  or 
settling  on  it.  If  you  don't  go  yourself — it  was  stated — 
you  will  take  interest  that  others  wall  go  and  settle  there. 
jSTow  the  idea  struck  me  that  some  similar  plan  ought  to 
be  adopted  by  your  State  or  any  other  State  in  the  South. 
Give  for  instance  a  homestead  to  some  families  in  a  Coun- 
try that  is  to  be  settled  and  the  ball  will  come  into  rolling 
and  the  tide  of  Immigration  will  swell  more  and  more.  I 
could  bring  it  before  my  people  perhaps  better  than  any- 
body else  and  would  do  it  with  pleasure  if  carried  on  on 
good  principles  and  the  Emigration  that  might  come  under 
such  directions  would  not  be  the  worst  after  all.  Then  if 
the  Emigrants  were  to  be  landed  directly  on  the  Southern 
shore  they  would  escape  their  northern  friends  that  are 
waiting  for  them  like  wolfs  at  the  old  landing  places  and 


884  Xoirni   Carolixa  Historical  Commission. 

thfir  laiuliiig-  would  be  improved  in  many  respects  and 
their  protection  too  in  many  ways.  In  regard  to  your  own 
plot  of  Land  I  would  wish  you  to  give  me  the  state  of 
climate — of  the  surrounding  Country,  if  healthy  for  north- 
ern constitutions,  etc.  As  I  intend  to  go  over  to  Germany 
about  the  latter  part  of  next  month  in  order  to  look  into 
and  get  acquainted  with  all  matters  pertaining  to  Emigra- 
tion, I  would  take  your  statements  with  me  and  make 
them  known  to  people  that  are  interested  in  such  matters : 
At  the  same  time  I  would  be  obliged  to  you  if  you  would 
let  me  know  in  time  what  steps  are  taken  by  your  Legis- 
lature and  what  inducements  are  offered  to  German  Immi- 
grants. It  might  be  turned  to  good  account  under  God's 
providence. 

[P.  S.] — Please  excuse  my  deficient  English. 


To  James  M.  Leach. 

Jan.  29  1867. 

In  rej^ly  to  your  inquiry  as  to  what  I  remember  in  re- 
lation to  a  loan  made  by  me  as  Pub.  Treas.  from  Mr. 
Perkins  about  the  1  Feb.  1863—1  state 

That  when  I  entered  on  the  discharge  of  my  duties  as 
Public  Treas.  in  January  1863  there  was  not  money 
enough  on  hand  to  meets  the  demands  on  the  Treasury.  At 
the  time  of  making  the  loan  the  Genl  Assembly  was  in 
session  and  I  had  not  money  enough  to  pay  the  per  diem 
of  the  members  and  other  officers  and  the  daily  demands 
of  others  holding  small  claims  against  the  State — and  I 
made  this  and  some  other  loans  from  individuals  under 
laws  then  in  force  authorizing  the  Treasurer  to  make  such 
loans.  The  money  went  into  the  Treasury  to  meet  any 
demand  which  might  be  made  according  to  law, — the  most 
urgent  ones  at  the  time  being  the  expenses  of  the  Genl 
Assembly  then  sitting. 


COERESPOXDEXCE    OF    Jo^^ATHAIs^    ^YoPa■H.  885 

To  Nathaniel  Boyden  &  Lewis  Ilanes. 

Jan.  30  1S67. 
Be  cautious  about  agreemeuts,  as  the  resolution  under 
which  you  are  acting  may  not  be  construed  as  conferring 
such  230wer.     You  say  you    are  asked    to  ''agree"  on    a 
course  of  action  for  the  Southern  States. 
Washia'gtox  D.  C. 


To  D.  F.  Cahhvell. 

Feb.  0th  1S67. 

I  have  carefully  read  all  your  communications  to  me  Financial  matters, 
touching  the  sad  condition  of  our  monetary  affairs  and 
endeavored  to  place  them  in  the  hands  of  members  capable 
of  comprehending  your  views.  I  find  many  disposed  to 
favor  Berry's  scheme.  If  it  shall  be  found  to  work  well 
on  a  small  scale — if  the  currency  shall  be  found  with  a 
comparative  small  issue,  shall  be  found  to  answer  the  pur- 
pose of  money.  If  the  small  amount  he  proposes  to  issue 
shall  be  accepted  by  bond  holders,  then  your  more  enlarged 
views  will  be  carried  out.  If  it  will  not  work  in  a  small 
way,  there  can  be  no  hope  for  its  success,  looking  to  the 
exchange  of  the  w'hole  amount  of  our  bonds  for  such  cur- 
rency. 

^fake  no  apology  for  writing  me,  and  be  assured  all 
will  receive  the  consideration  due  to  an  old  and  sincere 
friend  who  has  bestowed  much  thought  on  the  subjects  he 
discusses  and  do  not  misconstrue  my  omission  sometimes 
to  answer.  It  is  physically  impossible  for  me  to  do  half 
the  writing  I  would  like  to  do. 

Greensboro. 


886  XoRTii  Carolina  Historical  Commission. 

To  Edivard  Bncjlit. 

February  12  1867. 

1  send  ynu  herewith  an  abstract  from  reports  from  offi- 
cial sources  in  the  counties  named,  as  to  the  numbers  re- 
quiring assistance.  Many  of  the  Counties  have  not  yet 
replied,  and  this  abstract  must  necessarily  fall  far  short 
of  the  entire  number.  The  Legislature  has  made  an  ap- 
propriation for  the  paying  of  freight — and  I  am  willing  to 
meet  this  expense  unless  your  association  assumes  it.  If 
your  contributions  could  have  been  made  in  money,  it 
would  have  been  much  more  conveniently  distributed 
among  the  different  counties,  by  local  agents  appointed  to 
lay  out  in  food  and  clothing  the  amount  sent,  and  the 
freight  saved.  Our  people  will  remember  gratefully  your 
benevolent  association  and  the  people  of  New  York. 

Will  write  you  again  in  a  day  or  so. 

]Nkw  York  City. 


To  Eer.  Robert  Newmann. 

Feb.  12  1867. 

Yours  of  the  24th  ult.  came  duly  to  hand. 

Our  Genl.  Assembly  now  in  session  has  under  consider- 
ation but  has  not  as  yet  adopted  any  immigration  scheme. 

Our  people  are  peculiarly  solicitous  to  invite  German 
emmigration,  but  our  impoverished  condition — and  the 
extreme  destitution  of  money  and  uncertainty  of  our  po- 
litical condition  will  probable  result  for  the  present  in 
non-action  on  all  immigration  schemes. 
Describing  a  tract  I  Understand  the  location  of  the  tract  of  land  I  described 
to  you  as  being  particularly  salubrious :  the  climate  in 
latitude  34  IsTorth,  very  pleasant.  Some  200  acres  of  the 
tract  has  been  boxed  and  worked  slightly  for  turpentine 
and  could  at  once  be  made  productive  of  large  gains.  Each 
of  us  who  own  it,  is  so  engrossed  in  other  aifairs  that  we 


CORRESPO^'DENCE    OF    JONATHAN    WORTH.  887 

have  made  no  attempt  to  give  attention  to  it,  either  with 
the  view  to  the  cultivation  or  the  sale  of  it.  In  the  range 
of  a  large  acquaintance  in  Xorth  and  South  Carolina  I 
know  no  piece  of  equal  value  which  can  be  bought  at 
double  the  price  at  which  we  offer  it.  Having  150  acres 
of  extraordinary  fertility  ready  for  the  plow  without  other 
expense  than  the  cleaning  out  of  the  ditches  and  4-50  acre-; 
more  drained  into  the  main  ditch  covered  with  fine  timber 
and  near  marshes,  navigable  water — and  the  whole  600 
acres  exceedingly  fertile  it  is  a  most  inviting  investment 
for  a  man  who  could  bring  to  it  the  requisite  labor — i»r 
for  a  small  colony  of  laborers  who  would  co-operate. 

Xew  York   City. 


To  John  Kerr.^ 

Feb.  12  1SG7. 
Your  earnest  appeal  in  behalf  of  ^Ym.  Johnson  has  been  Answer  to  a  peti- 

^  '  tion  for  pardon. 

reed,  and  considered. 

It  is  conceded  that  he  was  properly  convicted  of  bur- 
glary. The  claim  for  a  pardon  rested  on  the  ground  that 
the  2)unishment  prescribed  by  law  is  too  severe.  It 
struck  me  that  it  was  harsh — but  it  seemed  most  unrea- 
sonable that  a  man  convicted  of  so  great  a  ci'ime  should 
go  unpunished  and  the  County  of  Rockingham  pay  the 
cost.  Your  appeal  has  not  removed  this  conviction.  He 
cannot  be  executed  till  the  Spring  Term  of  your  Court. 
In  the  meantime  the  Genl.  A.  may  pass  an  act  establish- 
ing a  Penitentiary,  and  giving  the  Executive  power  of 
commutation.  Should  this  be  the  case  I  would  not  par- 
don him,  but  would  commute  the  death  penalty  for  a 
term  of  hard  labor,     I  deem  the  granting  of  the  pardon 


*  John  Kerr,  of  Caswell,  had  been  previously  a  member  of  the  leg- 
islature, a  member  of  Congress,  and  a  Judge  of  the  Superior  Court. 
He  was  one  of  those  arrested  by  Kirk  in  1870  and  discharged  by 
Judge  Brooks. 


888  XoKTu  Carolina  Historical  Commission. 

on  the  coiidition  of  the  payment  of  eosts  and  the  pledge 
of  Win.  Hill  and  yourself  that  he  will  at  once  leave  the 
State — qnite  as  nicreiful  a  decision  as  the  facts  Avarrant. 

Ya.xckyville. 


To  ^Y.  A.  Henrne  &  WUIia)n  Biggs. 

Feb.  13th  1867. 
Explanation  of  n         Youi's  of  the  11th  iiist.,  covering  article  signed  ''Oca- 

late  t'llitorial.  ,    ,,  ,  .  ,  ^   .         ,,.  , 

ola  and  written  as  you  say  by  a  man  of  intelligence  and 
responsibility,  is  before  me. 

As  the  coinmmunication  does  not  state  on  what  ])art 
of  the  extensive  coast  of  the  State  these  outrages  occurred 
and  furnishes  not  one  name  of  those  who  committed  the 
wrongs  or  who  suffered  the  wrong,  it  gives  me  meagre 
data  on  which  to  act. 

If  your  correspondent  will  give  me  the  names  and  resi- 
dence of  persons  by  Avhom  the  acts  of  criminality  set  forth 
were  perpetrated,  I  will  communicate  them  to  officers  of 
Justice  who  will  bring  the  alleged  criminals  to  trial. 

I  learn  from  Mr.  G-ranberry,  of  Currituck  that  a  mer- 
chant vessel  named  Sheridan  was  stranded  on  the  coast 
near  Roanoke  Island  some  time  since^ — that  a  number  of 
persons  have  been  arrested  under  a  charge  of  stealing  the 
wrecked  goods,  some  of  whom  have  given  bail,  and  others 
unable  to  give  l)ail,  are  in  jail — that  they  are  to  be  tried 
before  the  district  Court  of  the  U.  S.  next  Apl  and  he 
has  heard  they  were  maltreated  while  in  custody,  but  he 
knows  the  names  of  none  of  the  parties. 

I  am  entirely  satisfied  Avith  your  explanation  and  thank 
you  in  this  instance  for  sending  me  this  communication 
and  hope  your  correspondent  will  give  me  the  specific  in- 
formation or  refer  to  the  persons  who  can  give  the  in- 
formation necessary  to  enable  me  to  act  efficiently.  There 
is  no  defect  in  our  laws  or  lack  of  efficiency  in  our  of- 
ficers of  justice,  but  an  unfortunate,  disposition  to  furnish 


COKKESPOXDEXCE    OF    JoXATIIAX    WORTH.  889 

lengthy  articles  for  the  news-papers,  in  place  of  prosecut- 
ins;  criminals. 


To  Colonel  Berry. 

Feb.   lU   1SG7. 

I  have  entertained  the  opinion  all  the  time  that  the 
currency  would  be  below"  par  which  your  bill  would  fur- 
nish. From  the  facts  stated  by  you  as  to  the  S.  C.  cur- 
rency, I  hoped  it  would  not  be  greatlj'  below  par.  Since 
my  conversation  with  you,  I  learn  that  the  issues  by  S. 
C.  do  not  exceed  $300,000.  that  the  notes  are  redeemable 
in  Greenbacks  at  the  Treasury — and  that  notwithstand- 
ing this  and  the  comparatively  small  indebtedness  of  the 
State,  they  are  some  10  per  cent  under  par.  I  conclude 
therefore  that  ours  w^ould  be  greatly  under  par — and  con- 
sequently that  the  whole  of  the  taxes  of  next  year  would 
be  collected  in  this  currency  so  depreciated  that  it  w^ould 
not  answer  the  purpose  of  the  Treasury  and  I  therefore 
fear  that  the  plan  will  injure  instead  of  benefitting  the 
people. 

Having  expressed  to  you  my  willingness  that  your  bill 
should  be  favorably  considered  candor  compels  me  to  say 
that  the  facts  which  have  come  to  my  knowledge  since 
my  interview  with  you,  and  more  mature  reflection  have 
changed  my  views. 

P.  S.  I  think  nothing  can  be  done  to  restore  State 
credit  till  !N"ational  afl'airs  are  settled. 


To  Edward  Bright. 

Feb.   15  1S(17. 

Your  letter  of  the  lltli  inst.  has  been  reed.  Relief  of  distress. 

Col.   Bomford    and   myself   have   had   a   conference   to- 
dav.     He   feels  it  nccessarv  to  obtain  the  consent  of  his 


890  XoKTH  Carolina  Historical  Commission. 

military  superiors  before  be  eiiii  act  on  tbis  coimiiission. 
He  is  an  excellent  man  and  personally  Avill  most  cheerfully 
cooperate  with  me,  and  we  will,  as  speedily  as  possible, 
meet  and  submit  a  report  as  to  the  destitution  of  the  peo- 
ple in  this  state.  In  the  greater  portion  of  it,  those  hav- 
ing- charge  of  the  poor,  report  their  ability  to  prevent 
starvation.  In  a  few  Counties  where  an  extraordinary 
drouth  last  summer  cut  off  the  crops,  there  being  no 
money  scarcely,  the  people  are  positively  unable  to  supply 
the  requisite  amount  of  food  to  prevent  extreme  suffering, 
— if  starvation  itself  can  be  prevented. 

In  some  Counties,  remote  from  transportation,  there 
is  enough  to  spare  in  the  hands  of  some  to  supply  the 
wants  of  others,  but  want  of  money  makes  it  impossible 
for  the  authorities  to  buy.  In  a  few  such  Counties,  pe- 
cuniary aid  placed  in  the  hands  of  proper  persons  to 
make  the  purchases,  would  be  better,  more  economical — 
than  the  shipment  of  corn  from  jSTew  York. 

Xew  York  City. 


To  Daniel  L-  BusseU. 

Feb.  10  1807. 
Apprentice  cases.  J  jj^^yg  not  been  furnished  with  a  copy  of  Genl.  How- 
ard's order  relating  to  apprentices — but  understand  he  is 
satisfied  with  our  laws — and  that  there  will  j^robably  be 
no  further  interference — but  you  know  little  reliance  is 
to  be  placed  on  the  decision  of  arbitrary  tribunals.  The 
Courts  always  had  the  right  to  cancel  Indentures,  as  I 
think,  upon  sufficient  cause  shown.  You  should  attend 
the  Court  and  show,  if  you  can,  that  the  binding  was  ac- 
cording to  law — and  that  if  the  Court  shall  decide  that 
the  indentures  are  void  on  the  ground  that  the  apprentice 
was  not  present  at  the  binding,  (the  apprentice  being 
present)  the  Court  will  probably  re-bind  to  you,  if  you  de- 
sire it. 

Shoe  Heel. 


CORRESPOXDEXCE    OF    JOXATIIAX    WoKlir.  891 

To  John  A,  Gilmer. 

Fch.  Kith  1S07. 

I  have  confided  the  whole  matter  relating  to  the  militia  MiiiUa  matters, 
to  Tou  and  have  not  bestowed  a  half  hour's  attention  to 
the  subject  about  which  I  am  more  ignorant  than  I  should 
be.  It  seems  to  be  that  the  officers  of  the  militia  ought  to 
be  furnished  with  the  militia  laws  and  the  rules  and  tactics 
bv  which  thej  are  to  be  governed.  I  have  not  perceived 
that  any  steps  have  been  taken  to  supply  them  and  am 
ignorant  whether  the  Adgt.  General  or  the  Govr.  is  in- 
vested with  the  authority  to  supply  the  ofiicers  with  copies 
of  militia  laws  and  such  other  foniis  for  returns  and  reg- 
ulations for  drill,  etc.  as  may  enable  them  to  discharge 
their  duties ;  or  whether  the  Genl.  A.  must  make  provision 
for  such  providing.  An  organised  militia,  without  this 
aid  to  the  performance  of  their  duty  seeins  to  me  to  be 
particularly  absurd.  I  call  your  attention  to  this  mat- 
ter. The  Genl.  A.  will  probably  adjourn  soon.  If  any 
thing  is  to  be  done  in  this  matter,  it  must  be  done 
promptly. 

It  seems  to  me  you  should  be  able  to  get  your  salary  in- 
creased and  see  that  any  defects  in  our  militia  system 
should  be  corrected  if  any  such  defects  have  occurred  to 
you. 

Say  to  your  father  that  I  would  be  pleased  to  have  his 
views  on  the  Borden,  Hanes,  Jones,  Marvin,  Powell  Shar- 
key scheme. 

Greexsboeo. 


To  B.  S.  Hedrick. 

Fch.  IGili  1S67. 
The  Stephen's  bill  as  a  basis  for  abolishing  the  State  Reconstnumon 
Government  in  the  States  lately  at  war  with  the  U.    S.  *''"'' 
asserts  that  "said  pretended  government  affords  no  ade- 


892  XoKTii  Carolina  Histohical  Commission. 

qiiatf  ])rt>lc'cti()ii  for  life  or  property,  but  countoiiaiices 
and  encourages  Secession  and  crime".  This  assertion  in- 
cludes liorth  Carolina.  It  is  a  monstrous  falsehood.  In 
this  doctrine  two  thirds  of  the  House  of  Representatives 
have  asserted  a  wicked  falsehood — wicked  because  every 
man  knew  or  Avmild  have  known,  if  he  desired  to  know, 
that  the  judges  of  this  State  could  compare  favorably  both 
as  to  personal  virtue  and  legal  learning  with  the  judges 
of  any  of  the  States  which  utter  this  slander  against  us. 
When  the  Genl  xVssembly,  some  weeks  ago,  passed  resolu- 
tions declaring  that  justice  was  impartially  administered, 
one  member,  Blythe  of  Henderson,  declared  he  could  not 
vote  for  the  resolution,  because  it  was  not  true  that  jus- 
tice was  impartially  administered.  A  day  or  two  after 
Waugh  of  Surry  introduced  a  resolution  reciting  this 
remark  of  Blythe,  and  calling  on  the  judiciary  committee 
to  inquire  in  what  instance  the  Courts  had  failed  to  ad- 
minister justice  impartially.  Blythe  and  a  few  other 
partizans  who  sat  with  him  were  summoned  to  appear 
before  the  committee  and  furnish  the  proofs.  You  no 
doubt  saw  the  report  of  the  committee  and  Blythe's  re- 
treat. The  imputation  upon  our  Courts  is  a  colorless 
falsehood — and  no  honest  man  should  make  such  imputa- 
tion without  some  proof  to  sustain  it,  and  as  no  proof 
could  be  adduced  here  by  the  partizans  of  Stephens  it  is 
fair  to  presume  none  exists.  I^ow  our  friends  Boyden 
and  Hanes  have  assured  us  there  were  many  Representa- 
tives wdio  indulged  toward  us  no  feelings  of  malevolence, 
but  sincerely  desired  restored  Union  on  the  basis  of 
genuine  reconciliation,  but  I  find  all  of  them  endorsing 
this  falsehood  Avhich  each  of  them  knew  would  embitter 
instead  of  conciliating.  Is  it  possible  all  of  them  have  lost 
sight  of  the  respect  for  truth  in  their  anxiety  to  con- 
demn us? 

I  suppose  no  man  holding  a  seat  in  Congress  will  ]:)lead 
even  in  palliation  of  his  falsehood  the  slanders  of  a  de- 
praved press,  but  if  they  were  even  to  resort  to  the  Stand- 


CoERESPOXDE:>ifCE    OF    Jo^^ATIIAN    WoRTll.  893 

avd  and  all  the  lying  presses  of  the  State  which  are  court- 
ing Radical  rule  over  us,  they  can  find  nothing  to  sustain 
this  slander.  I  can  scarcely  realize  that  the  House  of 
Representatives  of  the  United  States  are  capable  of  so 
unworthy  an  act.  If  it  be  true  as  to  other  States,  (of 
which  I  have  no  evidence)  I  know  it  to  be  false  as  to  this. 
It  is  an  affirmative  proposition,  and  if  true,  proof  could  be 
adduced  to  sustain  it.  I  defy  the  production  of  any  proof 
from  any  respectable  source. 

I  infer  from  the  late  action  of  Congress  that  their 
fixed  policy  is  to  force  universal  sufi^rage  for  the  blacks 
and  to  disfranchise  the  great  body  of  the  whites,  whereby 
the  political  power  of  these  States  is  to  be  transferred  to 
the  negroes,  who,  as  they  think,  would  vote  for  Thad. 
Stephens  or  other  such  men  as  next  President.  It  seems 
to  me  the  ^STorthern  people,  judging  by  the  action  of  their 
representatives,  desire  to  heighten  and  extend  malevolence 
between  the  sections  in  order  to  control  us  according  to 
their  pleasure  and  without  any  regard  to  constitutions  State 
or  National.  I  pray  God,  I  may  be  mistaken,  but  the 
late  action  of  Congress  forces  me  to  this  conclusion. 

I  presume  you  have  a  better  opinion  of  Congress — and 
I  shall  be  thankful  to  you  for  any  information  tending 
to  change  my  views. 

P.  S.  The  Genl.  Assembly  w^ould  adopt  the  late  basis 
of  settlement,  called  the  ^orth  Carolina  plan,  if  assured 
that  it  would  be  a  finality  and  that  our  representatives 
would  be  received.  Boyden  and  Ilanes  represented  to 
us  that  Bingham  and  other  Republicans  favored  it.  AVe 
see  these  very  men  voting  for  the  Louisiana  and  Stephens 
bill,  and  take  it  they  only  w^ant  to  make  us  ridiculous. 

"Washington,  D.  C. 


89-4  XoKTii  CarolinxV  IIistokical  Commission. 

To  James  L.  On: 

Feb.  ;J1  1867. 
■    Gciil  Assembly  are  trying  to  liarmonise  on  the  jSTortli 
Carolina  plan   of  compromise.      AVill   probably    adopt    it 
soon.     If  pressed  to   immediate   action   there   would    be 
considerable  division. 
Columbia,  S.  C. 


acts. 


From  B.  S.  Iledncl: 

Washixgtox,  D.  C.  Feb.  22,  1867. 

£eSmcUon''  ^ours  of  the  lOth  inst.  I  received  day  before  yesterday. 
What  you  state  about  the  wickedness  of  such  statements 
as  the  jjreamble  of  the  Stevens  bill  is  true,  but  I  do  not 
see  how  any  one  can  prevent  it.  If  you  should  say  any- 
thing to  Stevens  about  it,  he  would  reply  that  he  spoke 
only  what  he  had  authority  for  saying  from  men  on  the 
ground.  The  worst  of  the  matter  is  that  with  men  like 
Holden,  and  others  from  ^N".  C.  constantly  making  the 
statements  they  do,  it  is  impossible  to  set  the  State  right 
till  she  gets  restored  to  her  position  in  the  Union.  I  was 
making  a  friendly  call  a  few  evenings  ago,  and  in  con- 
versation said  that  matters  were  getting  on  in  JST.  C.  as 
well  as  could  be  expected  under  the  circumstances ;  that 
the  Courts  were  as  able  and  impartial  as  they  ever  had 
been,  and  as  they  are  anywhere.  The  gentleman  to  whom 
I  addressed  myself,  a  clerk  in  the  Treasury  Dept.  replied 
that  he  had  it  from  undoubted  authority  that  Union  U. 
S.  Soldiers  were  shot  down  in  IST-  C.  and  no  effort  made 
to  punish  the  murderers  tho'  they  were  well  known  to  the 
authorities.  I  asked  him  for  his  authority  and  he  gave  the 
name  of  Mr.  French,  late  direct  tax  Commissioner  for  IST. 
C.  IsTow  I  knoAv  Mr.  French,  but  have  not  seen  him 
for  sometime.  He  is  generally  considered  a  fair  sort  of 
a  man.  When  he  is  required  to  back  up  his  statement 
he   will   probably  put   it  off  on   some  one  who  told  him, 


CoEKESPO^'DENCE  OF  Joxatha:s'  Woktii.  895 

and  so  the  matter  will  vanish  about  as  Tourgee's  mill- 
pond  with  seventeen  dead  negroes  in  it-  But  after  all 
you  must  recollect  that  not  one  member  of  CongTess  in 
twenty  has  either  the  time  or  opportunity  to  examine  for 
himself.  He  trusts  to  some  one  who  he  thinks  would  not 
mislead  him,  and  the  man  who  misleads  gets  his  infor- 
mation from  some  man  who  has  been  frightened  by  the 
reports  he  backs  up.  If  all  the  Southern  States  were  as 
u^ell  governed  as  ]^.  C.  I  believe  the  work  of  reconstruc- 
tion would  be  comparatively  easy.  It  seems  to  me  that 
the  main  thing  to  be  done  now  is  to  get  IST.  C  some  how 
separated  from  the  other  States  that  are  still  hostile  to 
a  settlement.  Members  of  Congress  take  many  of  their 
notions  of  the  South  from  what  they  see  in  Virginia  right 
across  the  Potomac,  and  there  quite  a  number  of  times 
men  have  been  murdered,  and  the  authorities  have  re- 
fused to  take  any  steps  to  punish  the  murderers,  and  in 
several  instances  the  county  courts  have  refused  to  en- 
tertain suits  against  rebels  by  Union  people.  From  all 
I  can  learn  life  and  property  is  better  protected  in  J^.  C 
than  it  is  in  many  parts  of  Tennessee.  The  right  way  is 
then  to  sustain  the  State  authorities,  and  get  the  State 
restored  as  soon  as  possible.  The  Bill  just  passed  tho' 
very  objectionable  in  preamble,  and  unjust  in  several  of 
its  provisions,  is  still  milder  than  any  bill  that  can  be 
passed.  The  Sherman  (Senate)  bill  would  have  gone 
through  but  for  the  combined  copperheads  and  Thad 
Stevens  Radicals.  'No  matter  what  is  done,  whether  this 
bill  becomes  a  law  or  some  other,  still  the  principle  of 
universal  suffrage  will  be  the  law,  and  Ashley,  Thad. 
Stevens  and  men  of  that  class  think  they  can  carry  in  the 
next  Congi'ess  the  Louisiana  bill  applied  to  all  the  States, 
with  confiscation.  I  think  Reverdy  Johnson  in  the  speech 
in  the  Senate  stated  the  case  very  fairly  when  he  voted 
for  the  amended  bill  You  will  see  his  speech  in  the 
]:»apers  of  Wednesday.  The  bill  as  passed  opposed  by 
what  is  known  here  as  the  Southern  Republican  associa- 


896  XoKTii    (\vRoi.iXA  Historical  Commission. 

tinu.  '1  licv  arc  nearly  all  for  the  Louisiana  bill  to  be 
a})plied  to  all  the  States.  Most  of  these  "Southern  re- 
pul)licans"  are  iSTorthern  men  who  have  gone  doA\ai  to 
Tex.,  Ga.  Ala.,  Miss,  and  S.  C.  with  the  idea  of  getting 
high  office  and  have  failed.  Now  if  they  could  get 
through  the  La.  bill  they  would  expect  to  be  ap})ointed 
Govs,  and  members  of  Council  and  the  like.  It  is  for  that 
reason  that  they  are  opposed  to  the  bill.  For  the  1)111 
passed  continues  the  present  State  Govts.,  as  provif^ionaJ. 

It  is  exceedingly  important  that  the  true  friends  of 
the  State  take  no  imprudent  step  just  now.  If  this  new 
l)ill  becomes  a  law  the  Legislature  should  call  a  Conven- 
tion to  meet  in  May,  June,  or  July,  to  form  a  State  consti- 
tution. If  this  bill  fails  some  other  will  be  passed  by  the 
new  Congress  in  March,  unless  Thad.  Stevens  thinks  that 
he  can  fight  off  all  plans  of  reconstruction  till  after  the 
next  presidential  election.  I  have  little  doubt  that  a  Con- 
vention will  be  called  in  ^N".  C.  before  the  close  of  next 
summer.  It  is  for  the  Legislature  to  consider  whether 
they  will  take  the  initiative  or  wdiether  they  will  leave  it  to 
Holden. 

I  would  say  more  but  for  the  uncertainty  that  hangs 
over  the  next  ten  days.  I  shall  be  glad  to  hear  from  you 
frequently. 


To  Governor  Parsons} 

Feb.  22  1867. 

Just  as  we  got  ready  to  act,  we  received  notice  of  the 
action  of  Congi-ess.  Would  not  action  now  simply  humil- 
iate without  doing  any  good  ? 

Wasiiingtox,  D.  C. 


'  Lewis  E.  Parsons,  Provisional  Governor  of  Alabama  in  1865. 


Correspondence  of  Jonathan  Worth.  897 

To  James  L.  On: 

Feb.  22  1867. 
There  was   here   almost  no  obiection  to  the  proposed  Reiatinj,' to  c-om- 

I>romi.se  plan  of 

ameuclment  granting  limited  snffrage  to  the  negroes.     If  iieconstruction. 
the  State  were  free  from  extraneous  interference  such  an 
amendment,  as  I  think,  would  be  j^olitic  in  view  of  the 
State's  best  interest. 

The  section  inhibiting  the  States  from  al)ridging  the 
immunities  and  privileges  of  a  citizen  of  the  U-  S.,  I 
regard,  as  the  nest  egg  from  which  new  strife  would  be 
hatched,  if  the  plan  were  adopted,  or  if  not  adopted, 
would  be  construed  as  securing  to  the  negrO'  the  right  to 
be  elected  to  the  Genl  A.,  to  Congress,  etc.  This  we  will 
not  concede  to  avert  any  vengeance  which  may  be  in  store 
for  us.  If  we  are  to  be  humiliated  to  this  extent,  we 
can  at  least  avoid  humiliating  ourselves.  If  its  proper 
construction  be  simply  a  re-affirmation  of  clause  1  Sec- 
2  Art.  4,  Constitution  of  the  U.  S.  it  is  mere  surplasage. 
It  would  furnish  plausible  ground  of  argument  and  it 
would  be  insisted  and  very  probably  construed  as  restrain- 
ing the  States  from  denying  to  a  negro  any  privilege  ac- 
corded to  a  white  man. 

With  some  modification  of  this  Section,  we  had  reached 
such  harmony  that  the  plan  could  have  been  carried 
through,  as  I  think,  with  sufficient  unanimity  to  have 
made  it  subserve  the  purposes'  contemplated.  Just  as 
we  had  got  ready  to  act  with  some  harmony,  we  were  ap- 
praised of  the  late  Act  of  Congress — and  I  now  think  our 
action  would  simply  humiliate  us  and  effect  no  good.  I 
have  sent  a  telegram  to  this  effect  to  Gov.  Parsons.  If 
our  friends  in  Washington  do  not  concur  in  these  views, 
in  deference  to  their  wishes  we  may  still   act. 

I  shall  be  glad  to  hear  from  you  on  this  subject 

Columbia,  S.  C. 

Vol.  2— IG 


898  North  Carolina  Historical  Commission. 

To   Governor  Parsons. 

Feb.  22  1867. 
Compromise  plan        Just  as  Ave  had  ffot  0111"  vicws  SO  harmoiiized  as  to  make 

of  Reconstruction.  .  .        .  "" 

our  action  effective  the  news  of  the  action  of  Congress 
reaches  us,  and  the  impression  now  is  that  the  proposed 
action  would  be  injurious,  instead  of  beneficial.  In  view 
of  the  demands  of  the  Act  of  Congress,  our  concession 
would  be  so  insignificant,  that  it  would  subject  us  to 
ridicule  and  contempt,  and  have  no  tendency  to  strengthen 
our  friends,  in  the  impression  of  many.  If  you  still  think 
we  should  act,  telegraph  to  me. 

Gov.  Graham  and  our  other  friends  agreed  not  to  be  in 
the  way  of  the  action  proposed. 

The  late  telegrams  from  Washington  have  produced  no 
excitement  here — but  all  infer  that  the  dominant  power 
will  not  be  satisfied  with  any  concession  we  can  make 
■without  a  voluntary  degradation  on  our  part  more  terri- 
ble than  any  infliction. which  the  most  rabid  can  impose. 

I  still  hope  the  nation  is  not  demented  and  that  we 
may  yet  be  saved  from  total  and  hopeless  ruin. 

WASHI^'GTOX,  D.    C. 


From  B.  S.  Hedrick. 

Washington,  D.  C.  Feb.  2Jf,  67. 

1  have  a  letter  from  Mr.  Busbee  in  which  he  says  that 
the  legislature  is  expected  to  adjourn  on  Thursday.  I 
hope  they  will  not  go  just  yet,  at  least  till  the  fate  of  the 
bill  now  before  the  President  is  decided.  It  is  rumored 
that  the  President  will  veto  it  on  Wednesday.  So  the 
legislature  can  by  waiting  one  week  more  know  what  to  do. 
Please  urge  this.  If  the  legislature  adjourns  to  meet 
next  Fall,  it  will  not  meet  then. 

It   is  my  firm  conviction  that   a  convention  should  be 


Correspondence  of  Jonathan  Worth.  899 

called,  unless  the  legislature  propose  amendments  to  the 
constitution.     Xo,  the  Convention  is  the  thing. 
I  will  write  ao'ain  soon. 


To  B.  S.  Hedricl^. 

Feb.  26  1867. 

Your  late  letter  was  reed  last  night. 

AVe  have  not  received  Mr.  Johnson's  speech.  His  vote 
on  the  late  measure  is  to  me  most  surprising.  Accord- 
ing to  his  previous  speeches  he  must  have  regarded  it  as 
unconstitutional.  I  had  regarded  him  as  a  firm  supporter 
of  constitutional  law.  I  understand  that  he  voted  for  it 
on  the  ground  of  his  conviction  that  if  that  bill  failed 
to  pass  one  more  objectionable  would  pass.  If  Reverdy 
Johnson's  notions  of  constitutional  duty  have  become  thus 
lax,  it  is  a  mournful  sign  of  the  times- 

^'ou  think  the  Genl  Assembly  should  call  a  Conven-  in  regard  to  caii  of 
tion.  If  you  mean  that  it  should  call  one  according  to 
the  State  Constitution  under  which  the  members  were 
elected  and  which  each  of  them  swore  he  would  support, 
I  would  have  no  objection.  I  would  favor  it — and  would 
pretVr  that  it  extend  suffrage  to  negroes,  having  $200. 
worrh  of  taxable  property — and  I  would  not  object  to 
its  being  extended  to  those  who  could  read  and  write, 
though  I  regard  the  latter  teste  as  no  strong  evidence  of 
intelligence  and  good  citizenship. 

If  you  mean  that  the  Genl  Assembly  should  order  a 
Convention  by  the  voters,  who  alone  could  vote  under  the 
late  act  of  Congress  how  could  any  conscientious  man 
reconcile  such  act  with  his  official  oath.  If  your  idea  that 
we  ought  to  impose  on  ourselves  the  disfranchisement  the 
act  proposes  and  immediately  give  the  rigid  of  suffrage 
to  all  the  negroes,  do  you  think  either  our  friends  or  our 
enemies  would  thereafter  respect  us  ?     Could  w^e  respect 


900  XoKTll    CaKOLIXA    HlSTOKlCAL    COMMISSION. 

ourselves?  If  it  be  the  intention  of  the  ISTorthern  people 
to  destroy  us,  onr  humiliation  Avouhl  be  likelier  to  beget 
their  contempt  than  their  pity,  and  would  not  be  likely  to 
avert  their  vengeance.  If  we  are  to  be  utterly  ruined, 
which  now  seems  probable,  the  general  feeling  is  that  it 
is  not  justifiable  to  conuuit  suicide  even  to  avoid  being- 
hanged. 

^^^vsTIIXGTON,  d.  c. 


From  B.  S.  Iledricl: 

Washi^-gton,  D.  C.  Feh.  26,  67. 
Plans  of  the  Radi-       I  bave  a  letter  from  Mr.  Battle.     He  thinks  the  Letis- 

cals  in  the  State.  ■- 

lature  will  do  nothing.  I  am  sorry  for  it.  If  the}^  ad- 
journ now  they  may  as  well  go  home  and  stay  for  I  do 
not  think  that  they  Avill  ever  again  assemble.  It  is  ]i<'l 
3'et  known  whether  the  new  bill  as  amended  will  pass. 
If  reasonable  men  from  the  South  could  be  heard  I  feel 
sure  that  it  would  be  modified-  The  most  unjust  part  of 
it  is  that  disfranchising  all  who  ever  took  an  oath  to  sup- 
port the  U.  S.  Constitution,  and  were  afterwards  in  any 
way  involved  in  the  rebellion.  But  bad  as  that  matter  is 
I  do  not  believe  Congress  will  accept  anything  less  harsh. 
The  fact  is  every  proposition  will  be  much  worse  and 
worse.  There  is  also  another  matter  that  I  wish  to  com- 
municate confidentially,  that  [is]  for  yourself  and  your 
most  trusted  friends.  I  have  it  on  good  authority  that  Dr. 
Powell  and  Holden  have  a  scheme,  approved  by  certain 
mtmbers  of  Congress  to  go  to  work  and  organize  a  new 
so-called  loyal  State  Govt.  They  will  begin  by  invita- 
tions to  the  people  to  assemble  in  their  sovereign  capacity 
and  elect  delegates  to  a  Convention  at  which  all  loyal  men, 
white  and  black  will  be  allowed  to  vote.  This  Conven- 
tion Avill  form  a  constitution  and  such  as  wall  be  accepted 
by  Congress.     Everybody  knows  what  Holden  means  by 


COKRESPO]SrDENCE    OF    JONATHAN    WoRTH,  901 

loyal.  It  means  those  who  vote  for  him.  I  have  little 
doubt  that  this  scheme  of  Holdeu's  will  be  put  in  opera- 
tion either  under  the  military  bill  or  under  some  such 
bill  as  the  Louisiana  bill. 

I  was  glad  to  see  Mr.  Starl)uck  here  today.     He  came 
on  a  summons  from  the  Judiciary  Committee- 
Whatever  is  done  by  the  present  Congress  will  be  knoT\m 
in  a  few  days. 

With  best  regards. 


To  0.  G.  Parsley  &  Co. 

Raleigh,  Fehy.  27  1867. 

I  was  duly  advised  by  the  1)enevolent  association  of 
ladies  in  IT.  Y.  of  the  shipment  of  the  3000  bu.  corn  to 
you  to  be  distributed  to  the  necessitous  by  myself  and  Col. 
Bomford — not  Genl.  Robinson.  Col.  B.  Chief  of  the 
Freedman's  Bureau  in  the  State,  would  not  act  on  the 
Commission  without  leave  from  Genl.  Howard.  I  was 
yesterday  advised  by  Col.  B.  that  permission  to  act  had 
been  accorded  to  him — and  I  hope  by  to-morrow  that  we 
shall  have  agreed  as  to  the  distribution  and  if  so,  you 
will  be  immediately  directed  to  what  point  you  may  send 
it.  The  Bureau  will  provide  for  transportation  on  the 
R.  R.     I  will  pay  j^our  charges  and  marine  charges. 

Wilmington. 


From  B.  8.  Hedricl: 

Washington,  D.  C.  Feb.  28,  67. 
The  Convention  which  should  be  ordered  bv  the  Legis-  Discussion  of  a 

1    J.  Ill  •  1  .   1        1       'i  ^1       St*^t®  Conveutiou. 

lature  would  be  one  in  accordance  with  the  laws  of  the 
State  and  of  the  United  States.  I  judge  from  what  you 
and  Mr.   Battle  w^rite  that  nothing  could  be  done  short 


902  JSToKTH  Carolina  Historical  Commission. 

of  letting  matters  drift,  wbicli  will  lead  to  the  entire  over- 
throw of  the  present  State  Govt.  So  far  as  constitutional 
aiithorit}^  goes,  the  present  State  Govt,  is  based  solely 
on  the  authority  given  by  the  President  to  Ilolden.  Con- 
•  gress  assumes  that  it  has  the  same  right  to  form  a  State 
Govt,  that  the  President  has,  that  is  that  it  has  the  au- 
hority  to  empower  the  people  to  form  a  Govt,  for  them- 
selves, which  is  really  what  the  President  did.  For  after 
all  the  right  of  the  governed  to  form  their  own  govern- 
ment is  the  fundamental  principle  of  the  U.  S.  Constitu- 
tion. The  Congress  derives  its  power  over  the  subject 
from  the  section  which  guarantees  a  republican  form  of 
Govt,  to  each  State,  which  the  President  interprets  as 
giving  the  Executive  the  power  to  secure  republican  Govt. 
for  the  State.  Congress  now  has  the  power  to  take  to  it- 
self this  function,  and  whether  expedient  or  unexpedient 
it  will  do  it. 

As  to  the  abstract  question  of  suffrage  I  cannot  see 
how  any  one. set  of  men  have  a  right  to  exclude  any  other 
set  of  men  from  voting,  especially  in  matters  relating  to 
the  fundamental  law,  such  as  constitutions.  Only  those 
can  be  excluded  who  are  not  part  of  the  governing  body, 
such  as  foreigTiers  and  criminals.  There  is  no  reason  in 
the  abstract  why  $200.  should  enable  a  man  to  vote.  In 
the  matter  of  educational  and  property  qualification  I 
cannot  see  what  justice  or  right  there  is  in  requiring  more 
of  a  black  man  than  a  white.  If  any  discrimination 
should  be  made  it  should  be  on  the  scriptural  rule  of 
"whei'e  much  is  given  much  will  be  required." 

Leaving  all  abstractions  aside  I  can  very  well  under- 
stand that  it  may  be  very  inexpedient  and  injurious  to 
give  universal  suifrage.  But  as  soon  as  you  take  the 
ground  of  political  expediency  almost  anything  may  be 
defended,  for  instance  monarchy,  despotism,  aristocracy, 
or  any  other  system  that  has  its  admirers  and  supporters. 
But  on  the  "Republican  Theory"  it  is  a  political  fallacy 
to  deprive  any  class  of  the  full  franchise  of  a  man.     And 


COKKESPONDENCE    OF    JOiSTATHAN    WORTH.  903 

as  a  matter  of  fact,  you  are  just  as  certain  as  anything 
can  be  to  have  universal  suffrage.  This  will  be  either  by 
the  voluntary  act  of  the  State,  or  by  the  Act  of  Congress. 
If  the  present  Congress  does  not  pass  the  Military  bill 
over  a  veto,  the  next  Congress  will  probably  do  noth- 
ing for  a  while.  But  I  think  there  is  very  little  doubt  that 
a  bill  similar  to  the  Louisiana  bill  will  be  passed  by  the 
next  Congress.  The  Legislature  may  as  well  adjourn  sine 
die,  unless  they  can  call  a  Convention  and  every  body  to 
vote. 

We  had  an  election  in  AVashington  on  Monday  with 
universal  suffrage.  It  was  as  orderly  as  any  election  we 
have  ever  had.  The  old  Mayor  was  very  abusive  of 
the  negroes  and  opposed  to  giving  them  suffrage.  He  was 
beaten  by  the  candidate  that  was  friendly  to  suffrage. 
But  more  than  half  of  the  Conservative  candidates  for 
Councihnen  were  elected  notwithstanding  that  the  Mayor 
on  the  same  ticket  was  beaten.  It  was  a  real  pleasure  to 
see  the  improvement  effected  in  the  character  of  the  dem- 
ocratic procession.  Heretofore  every  Democratic  proces- 
sion in  this  city  has  carried  transparencies  with  low  and 
filthy  matters  in  regard  to  niggers,  iniscegemdion,  and  sim- 
ilar matters.  But  now  no  such  things  are  to  be  seen.  In 
fact  all  reference  to  niggers  disappeared  from  the  trans- 
parencies. I  do  not  see  why  the  adoption  of  real  im- 
partial suffrage  will  not  entirely  remove  the  negTo  agita- 
tion from  politics.  And  if  it  shall  be  found  on  fair  trial 
that  universal  suffrage  is  not  conducive  to  the  public  weal, 
it  can  then  be  changed  as  every  other  real  reform  has 
been  effeded. 

It  seems  to  me  that  it  is  of  the  utmost  importance  that 
a  full  restoration  of  the  State  be  effected  with  the  least 
delay  possible.  All  interests  require  it.  If  matters  go 
on  as  they  have  been  for  the  last  year  the  State  will  lo^e 
a  large  part  of  its  population.  It  was  on  this  ground  that 
President   Johnson  went  for  the  Military  bill. 


904 


Kelicl' of  distress. 


XouTii  Carolina  Historical  Commission. 

[P.  S.]  Senator  Ben  AVade  is  to  be  Vice  President  on 
and  after  March  4,  or  rather  President  of  the  Senate 
and  if  the  President  should  ho  iiii]ioaehod  Wade  would  be 
President. 


ir.  //.  Barjlcij  {()  0.  G.  Parsley  d  Co. 

Fchruanj  28th  1807. 
1  am  instructed  by  the  Governor  to  request  that  you 
ship  at  once  of  the  corn  in  your  hands  from  the  Xew 
^"ork  Southern  Relief  Association,  One  thousand  bushels 
to  Salisbury,  the  U.  S.  Quarter  Master  at  that  place  con- 
signee—Thirteen hundred  bushels  to  Charlotte,  the  U. 
S.  Quarter  Master  at  that  place  consignee.  Col.  Bom- 
ford  has  instructed  Quarter  Master  Mears  of  your  City, 
to  co-operate  with  3^ou  and  give  you  all  the  aid  in  his 
power,  in  its  removal,  shipment,  etc.  The  Bureau  agrees 
to  transport  it  on  the  Pail  Poads  and  such  expense  as  is 
not  met  by  the  Bureau,  will  be  met  by  the  State,  upon  the 
receipt  of  your  bill  for  this  cause.  Would  it  be  convenient 
to  you  to  keep  the  remaining  700  bushels  in  your  ware- 
house until  the  points  of  its  distribution  are  decided  upon, 
(which  will  be  in  a  few  days).  Col.  Bomford  will  order 
it  to  be  received  in  the  U.  S.  Avare-house  in  your  city. 

WlL.MIJNTGTOX. 


Distribution  of 
supplies  to  the 
needy. 


From  W.  II.  Baglcy  to  H.  M.  Houston. 

Feljniarij  28th  1807. 
I  am  instructed  by  the  Governor  to  inform  you  that 
he  has  named  you  to  act,  on  the  part  of  the  State,  in  the 
distribution  of  the  corn  which  has  been  contributed  by 
th^  Xew  York  Southern  Relief  Association,  among  the 
suffering  of  your  County.  One  thousand  bushels  (1000) 
have  been  assigned  to  your  County  and  will  be  shipped 


COEEESPONDEXCE    OF    Jo^^ATIIAN    WoUTIi.  905 

ill  a  few  daye,  from  AVilniiiigton  to  Charlotte,  (consigned 
to  the  U.  S.  Qnarter  Master  at  the  latter  place)  subject 
to  the  orders  of  yourself  and  Mr.  Darling  Brown,  who  has 
heen  designated  by  the  IT.  S.  Military  authorities  to  co- 
operate Avith  and  aid  you  in  its  distribution. 

The  distribution  is  to  be  made  among  the  indigent  with- 
out regard  to  race  and  color,  or  political  or  religious 
opinions. 

Blank  receipts  will  be  forwarded  to  you  and  Mr. 
Brown  to  be  sigTied  by  the  parties  receiving  contributions, 
which,  it  is  desired,  should  be  returned  to  this  office,  to 
be  forwarded  to  the  Belief  Association  in  ]^ew  York,  that 
they  may  see  that  their  benevolence  has  been  properly  dis- 
posed of. 

Much  is  left  to  the  discretion  of  yourself  and  Mr. 
Brown — and  you  will  regulate  your  distribution  according 
to  their  known  necessities. 

MOXEOE. 

To  Daniel  Freeman. 

Fehruary  ^Sth  1567. 
I   am   instructed  bv  the  Governor  to  inform  vou  that  Distribution  of 

'       .  supplies  to  the 

he  has  named  you  to  act,  on  the  part  of  the  State,  in  the  needy. 
distribution  of  the  corn  which  has  been  contributed  by 
the  ]S^ew  York  Southern  Relief  Association,  among  the 
suffering  of  your  County.  One  thousand  (1000)  bushels 
have  been  assigned  to  your  County  and  wall  be  shipped  in 
a  few  days,  from  Wilmington  to  Salisbury,  subject  to 
the  orders  of  yourself  and  Mr.  D.  A.  G.  Palmer,  who 
has  been  designated  by  the  U.  S.  Military  authorities,  to 
co-operate  with  and  aid  you  in  its  distribution.  The  dis- 
tribution is  to  be  made  among  the  indigent  without  re- 
gard to  race  or  color,  or  political  or  religious  opinions. 
Blank  receipts  will  be  forwarded  to  you  and  Mr.  Palmer 
to  be  signed  by  the  i)arties  receiving  contributions,  which 
it  is  desired  should  be  returned  to  this  office  to  be  for- 
warded to  the  Relief  Association  in  Xcw  York,  that  they 


906  ]^ORTH  Carolixa  Historical  Commission. 

may  see  that  their  benevolence  has  been  properly  disposed 
of.  Much  is  left  to  the  discretion  of  yourself  and  Mr. 
Palmer  and  you  will  regulate  your  distributions  according 
to  their  known  necessities. 

P.  S.  The  corn  will  be  consigned  to  the  U-  S.  Quarter 
Master  at  Salisbury. 
Albemarle. 


^Y.  II.  Bagley  to  L.  L.  Foil: 

Fehruanj  28th  1867. 
SpSieslothe*^  I  am  instructed  by  the  Governor  to  inform  you  that 

needy.  j^^  -^^^  named  you  to  act,  on  the  part  of  the  State,  in  the 

distribution  of  the  corn  which  has  been  contributed  by  the 
Xew  York  Southern  Relief  Association  among  the  suffering 
of  your  County.  Three  hundred  (300)  bushels  have  been 
assigned  your  County  and  will  be  shipped  in  a  few  days 
from  Wilmington  to  Charlotte  (consigned  to  the  IT-  S. 
Quarter  Master  at  the  latter  place)  subject  to  the  orders 
of  yourself  and  Mr.  Wm,  McFarland,  who  has  been  des- 
ignated by  the  U.  S.  Alilitary  authorities  to  co-operate 
with  and  aid  you  in  its  distribution. 

The  distribution  is  to  be  made  among  the  indigent 
without  regard  to  race  or  color,  or  political  or  religious 
opinions. 

Blank  receipts  will  be  forwarded  to  you  and  Mr.  Mc- 
Parland  to  be  signed  by  the  parties  receiving  contribu- 
tions, which  it  is  desired  should  be  returned  to  this  office 
to  be  forwarded  to  the  Relief  Association  in  New  York, 
that  they  may  see  that  their  benevolence  has  been  prop- 
erly disposed  of.  Much  is  left  to  the  discretion  of  your- 
self and  Mr.  McFarland  and  you  will  regulate  your  dis- 
tributions according  to  their  known  necessities. 

P.  S.     The  corn  will  be  consigned  to  the  U.  S.  Quarter 
Master  at  Charlotte.  jS'.  C 
Laxesboro. 


Correspondence  of  Jonathan  AYokth. 

To  J.  M.  Hamlin. 

Mar  2  1867. 

It  would  give  me  pleasure  to  grant  your  request,  if  the 
circumstances  of  the  times  would  allow  it.  An  act  has 
recently  passed  forbidding  the  organization  of  the  militia 
in  the  ten  states  excluded  from  representation  in  Congress. 
It  is  in  accordance  with  what  seems  to  be  the  present 
policy  of.  Congress,  and  I  suppose  will  pass  the  Senate. 
I  think  you  had  better  forbear  until  (if  ever)  we  are 
recog-nized  as  entitled  to  our  constitutional  privileges  as 
a  State. 

Brevard. 


907 


To  B.  8.  Hechlcl: 

Raleigh  Mar  2  1867. 
I  have  done  mv  best  to  induce  the  Genl  A.  to  rescind  Political  condi- 

"^  tions  in  the  State. 

their  order  of  adjournment  on  Monday  next,  but  for  ten 
days  past,  as  has  been  usual  time  immemorial,  numbers 
have  left  from  day  to  day,  until  there  was  a  bare  quorum 
(two  thirds  of  all  the  members  of  both  houses)  to  call 
a  Convention.  We  still  hope  we  have  some  constitution. 
At  all  events  we  trace  all  our  power  to  a  Constitution  we 
are  sworn  to  support.  We  are  not  yet  resolved  to  act  on 
the  assumption  that  political  chaos  exists  and  we  are  at 
liberty  to  act  in  violation  of  our  oath  to  support  the  Con- 
stitution both  of  the  State  and  United  States,  as  we  un- 
derstand them.  We  acknowledge  our  duty  to  subordinate 
our  individual  views  as  to  constitutional  interpretations  to 
the  Judiciary. 

We  have  had  no  late  intelligence  from  Washington.  We 
are  not  advised  that  the  Sherman  scheme  is  yet  a  law — 
and  if  it  were,  we  do  not  know  whether  it  contemplates 
the  call  of  such  a  Convention  as  it  proposes,  by  the  State 
Legislature  or  by  Act  of  Congress  or  by  military  au- 
thority.    If  it  shall  appear  to  be  necessary  the  Govr.  and 


908  North  Carolina  Historical  Commission. 

Council  can  and  will  call  an  extra  session.  Holden  and 
his  followers,  as  is  understood  here,  will  proceed,  immedi- 
ately after  the  adjournment,  to  hold  primary  meetings 
and  get  up  a  Convention  to  be  elected  by  the  negroes  and 
such  of  the  whites  as  they  may  allow  to  vote.  Th(>y  give  it 
out  that  they  have  the  assurance  of  the  Congressional  lead- 
ers, that  the  acts  of  such  a  Convention  will  be  recogTiized 
and  validated  by  Congress. 

In  this  upheaving  of  civil  government,  we  looK  only  for 
anarchy: — and  unversal  despondency,  except  with  the 
Holdenites,  prevails.  They  expect,  apparently  with  good 
reason,  to  be  sustained  and  supported  by  the  power  of  the 
nation.  If  they  suceed  in  their  plans  they  wall  make  these 
ten  States  unhealthy  appendages  of  the  Union,  which  will 
soon  disease  and  destroy  the  whole  body  politic- 

P.  S.  The  Senate  voted  last  night  27  to  13  for  the  call 
of  a  Convention.  The  thirteen,  I  am  told,  were  all  men 
of  Radical  proclivaties — The  House  did  not  vote  on  it, 
because  a  Constitutional  quorum  was  not  present.  It  is 
understood  that  more  than  two-thirds  of  those  present 
would  have  voted  for  it. 

Washington,  I).  C. 


To  D.  L.  Swain. 

Mar.  3  1867. 


Concerning  a 


mission  to  Wash-  After  a  Conference  with  Govs.  Graham  and  Vance,  I 
am  confimied  in  my  previous  impression  that  it  is  my  duty 
again  to  visit  Washington,  to  ascertain  as  nearly  as  possi- 
ble our  present  status  and  to  decide  after  the  best  lights  I 
can  obtain,  what  North  Carolina  can  do,  if  any  thing,  to 
avert  total  ruin.  They  heartily  concur  in  my  associating 
you  and  Judge  RufUn  with  me  on  this  mission. 

Gov.  Graham  thinks  we  should  spend  a  day  in  Rich- 
mond. 

I  Avill   hold   myself  in   readiness  to   o-q   at  the   earliest 


Correspondence  of  Jonathan  AVorth.  909 

day  jow  and  Judge  Ruffiii  may  agree  upon.  I  shall  write 
Judge  Euffin  this  evening.  I  regret  to  ask  of  you  this 
sacrifice  but  feel  constrained  to  urge  your  acceptance  of 
this  commission. 

If  preferred  by  you  I  will  meet  you  at  Hillsboro,  and 
go  by  the  Danville  road  and  spend  a  day  in  Richmond  as 
we  go  over.  I  hope  the  time  you  fix  may  not  be  longer 
off  than  next  Thursday. 

I  am  authorised  to  pay  our  expenses  by  draft  from  the 
Public  Treasury. 

Please  let  me  hear  from  you  at  the  earliest  practicable 
time. 

You  will  do  well  to  confer  with  Judge  R.,  as  to  the  time 
of  departure  as  soon  as  you  receive  this. 

Chapel  Hill. 


missiou  to  Wash- 
ington. 


To  Thomas  RuffiJi,  Sr. 

March  3  1861 

After  a  conference  with  Govs.  Graham  and  Vance  I  S°"ii^™"^vv. 
am  confirmed  in  my  previous  impression  that  it  is  my 
duty  again  to  visit  Washington,  to  ascertaJA  as  nearly 
as  possible  our  present  status  and  to  decide,  after  the 
best  light  I  can  obtain  what  J^orth  Carolina  can  do  if 
anything  to  avert  total  ruin.  They  heartily  concur  in 
my  appointing  you  and  Gov.  Swain  with  me  on  this 
mission. 

Gov.  Graham  thinks  we  should  spend  a  day  in  Rich- 
mond. 

I  will  hold  myself  in  readiness  to  go  at  the  earliest  day 
you  and  Gov.  Swain  may  agree  upon.  I  shall  write  Gov. 
Swain  this  evening.  I  regret  to  ask  of  you  to  make  this 
sacrifice,  but  feel  constrained  to  urge  your  acceptance  of 
the  commission. 

If  preferred  by  you  I  will  meet  you  at  Hillsboro  and 
go  by  the  Danville  Road  and  spend  a  day  in  Richmond 


910  North  Carolina  Historical  Commission. 

as  we  go  on,  I  hope  the  time  jou  fix  may  not  be  longer 
off  than  next  Thursday.  I  am  authorised  to  pay  our  ex- 
penses by  a  draft  on  the  Pub.  Treas. 

Please  let  me  hear  from  you  at  the  earliest  practicable 
time. 

P.  S.     You  would  do  w^ell  to  confer  with  Gov.  Swain  as 
to  the  time  of  departure  as  soon  as  you  receive  this. 

HiLLSBORO. 


To  IF.  ^yhitakev. 

Mar.  6  1867. 

My  onerous  duties  here  have  occupied  my  time  so  fully 
that  I  could  not  ajiswer  promptly  your  letter  of  the  24  ult. 

I  read  it  to  Major  B.  He  is  very  poor — much  poorer 
than  your  showing  proves  you  to  be — and  does  not  think, 
in  view  of  the  circumstances  under  which  he  made  the 
loan  to  you,  that  he  should  be  called  upon  to  make  a  sale 
of  yr  property  to  raise  the  money  he  loaned  you. 

I  have  made  such  efforts  out  of  my  slender  means  to 
aid  my  children  and  friends  that  I  have  no  disposable 
means,  or  I  would  offer  my  aid. 

GOLDSBORO. 


To  J.  M.   Worth. 

Mar.  6  1867. 

Various  business  ^-r  J;.^^.•i  ^      -i  ,       ^ 

matters.  i  ours  01  the  Ist  lust.  reached  me  yesterday. 

I  fully  and  heartily  concur  in  all  your  views  as  to  our 
factory  interests  and  had  determined  to  attend  the  next 
annual  meeting  and  carry  them  out — ^but  I  cannot  dis- 
charge my  responsible  duties  to  the  Country  without  go- 
ing to  Washington  at  once  in  order  to  get  more  accurate 
information  than  I  can  otherwise  obtain. 

T  have  sent  Jesse  Walker  my  proxy  and  expressed  dis- 
tinctlv  mv  concurrence  in  vour  views. 


COKEESPONDEXCE    OF    JOXATHAA'    WORTII.  911 

I  have  to-day  expressed,  in  a  letter  to  Br.  B.  G.^  my 
views  somewhat  at  large,  as  to  our  political  status,  who 
will  show  you  the  letter  if  you  desire  to  see  it.  I  am 
every  way  oppressed  with  my  duties  public  and  private. 

I  shall  probably  remain  several  days  in  Washington, — - 
at  the  Ebbitt  House.  As  to  continuing  to  act  as  Govr., 
as  in  all  other  things,  I  must  act  on  events  as  they  arise. 
I  can  conceive  of  no  state  of  things  which  will  induce  me 
to  give  my  sanction  to  the  Disunion  views  of  the  Radicals. 
I  have  fully  as  much  abhorrence  for  them  and  believe  they 
are  less  patriotic  than  Secession  was  in  1860-61. 


To  Jesse  Walher. 

Mar.  6  1867. 

I  had  fully  intended  to  be  i^resent  at  the  next  meeting  various  business 
of  the  stockholders  of  Cedar  Falls  Co. — but  I  now  fear 
that  my  public  duties  will  forbid  it. 

I  inclose  to  you  my  proxy,  expecting  you  to  act  for 
me  as  you  may  think  it  best  to  act  for  yourself,  remember- 
ing only  that  I  think,  with  Br.  Milton  if  w^e  leave  the  man- 
agement of  our  business  to  men  whose  chief  interests  in 
business  are  centered  in  other  and  rival  business  that  our 
stock  will  soon  be  sunk — and  that  however  unpleasant  it 
may  be  on  many  accounts,  a  total  change  in  the  manage- 
ment must  be  promptly  made,  if  w'e  would  save  ourselves. 
Owing  to  my  peculiar  condition  I  desire  that  this  expres- 
sion of  my  views  may  be  regarded  as  confidential. 

If  the  course  I  indicate  be  adopted  a  very  minute 
and  full  statement  of  our  effects  and  the  debts  due  by 
and  to  the  corporation  should  be  required  before  decisive 
action. 

If  possible  I  wull  be  present  and  take  my  full  share 
of  responsibility. 

I  expect  to  leave  for  Washington  in  a  day  or  two  to 

1  B.  G.  Worth. 


912  jSTorth  Carolina  Historical  Commission. 

get  at  mure  accurate  inforniation  than  I  can  otherwise  ob- 
tain to  govern  my  action  in  my  present  responsible  posi- 
tion. 

Xi:\v  Sale:m. 

\_Enclosiire.'] 

Raleigh^  Mar.  5  1807. 

I  hereby  appoint  Jesse  "Walker  to  act  as  my  agent  and 
proxy  in  all  meeting  of  the  stockholders  of  Cedar  Falls 
Co.  until  this  power  shall  be  revoked  by  me. 

Witness  my  signature  and  seal. 


tions. 


To  B.   G.   irorf/(. 

Mar.  6th  1867. 

I  reed  in  due  time  the  pen-maker  and  have  had  it  in 
daily  use  since.  I  ought  to  have  acknowledged  the  receipt 
of  it,  and  returned  to  you  my  cordial  thanks  for  it  and  the 
pens  you  sent  me :  but  I  presume  you  have  snatched 
[hours]  from  your  very  busy  occupations  in  sensible  busi- 
ness time  enough  to  have  some  appreciation  of  my  trouble 
in  the  wilds  of  politicks. 
Political  condi-  The  actions  of  the  K^orth,  not  their  words  as  vet,  in- 

dicate  their  ultimate  purpose  to  be  to  give  to  the  negroes 
in  these  States  political  control  in  the  expectation  that  by 
this  means  they  (the  ]^orth)  will  retain  their  political 
control.  Until  lately  policy  has  required  them  to  pretend 
they  were  acting  under  the  constitution  which  the  masses 
once  reverenced.  They  begin  now  to  feel  strength  enough 
to  throw  off  the  disguise  and  establish  over  the  States  a 
full  military  despotism  under  the  avowed  'principle  that 
the  rise  of  the  people — the  people  then  represented,  ought 
not  to  be  fettered  by  constitutional  restraints.  Most  of 
them  still  pretend  their  object  is  to  guarantee  Republican 
govt,  to  these  States,  and  to  this  end  they  indicate  the 
principles  we  are  to  incorporate  in  our  constitutions  and 


COEEESPONDENCE    OF    JONATHAN    WoKTH.  913 

send  bayonets  enough  here  to  control  our  hiw.  The  Se- 
cessionists conducted  their  machinations  under  the  guise 
of  reverence  for  the  constitution  until  they  got  the  minds 
of  the  South  maddened  and  then  threw  off  the  guise.  The 
Kadicals  are  beginning  to  throw  off  disguise.  Their  ac- 
tions which  always  speak  louder  than  luorcls,  leave  no 
doubt  in  my  mind,  that  their  real  purpose  is  to  make 
the  negroes  the  dominant  power  in  these  States  and  con- 
fiscate and  turn  over  to  them  the  property  of  the  whites. 
At  present  the  great  body  of  the  l^orthern  people  do  not 
desire  this  but  the  leaders  do,  and  the  masses  are  led  by 
their  leaders  as  the  victim  is  led  to  the  slaughter.  As  an 
excuse  to  carry  out  this  desigTi  they  require  of  us  terms 
of  pretended  compromise  which  no  one  having  any  man- 
hood and  respect  for  the  constitution  can  except,  in  order 
to  make  our  refusal  to  accept  the  terms  an  excuse  for 
carrying  out  their  designs.  The  President's  late  vetoes 
which  prove  as  conclusively  as  human  logic  can  prove  any 
thing,  that  the  dominant  power  has  thrown  away  the  old 
chart  and  compass,  the  constitution, — and  are  sailing  and 
are  guided  only  by  the  furor  of  their  party  leaders,  is  con- 
temned and  despised — -and  the  great  intellect  of  Reverdy 
Johnson  quails  before  the  storm  and  consents  to  vote  for 
measures  he  admits  to  be  unconstitutional,  to  avert,  as  he 
obscurely  asserts,  more  unconstitutional  measures. 

Amidst  the  desertion  of  lick  spittle .  Secessionists,  such 
as  Chalmers,  Holden,  ei  id  omne  gemis;  and  the  threats 
of  impeachment,  evidently  not  idle,  which  the  infatuated 
Xorth  holds  over  the  Prest.,  I  am  filled  with  admiration 
at  his  noble  self-possession  and  the  courage  with  which 
he  holds  up  the  flag,  when  he  cannot  but  feel  that  the  ship 
is   sinking. 

I  shall  go  to  Washington  in  a  short  time — say  within 
a  day  or  two, — to  possess  myself  of  the  best  information 
possible,  for  the  guidance  of  my  conduct. 

The  great  body  of  our  people  is  so  sick  of  hope  de- 

Vol.  2—17 


914  Xoirni  Cakoi>ixa  IIistokical  Co.mmissiox. 

ferred,  that  1  lliink  it  not  improbable  tbat  they  will  yield 
to  the  demands  of  the  Xorth  in  the  vain  hope  of  being  al- 
lowed some  part  in  the  control  of  the  government  under 
wliieb  they  live.  It  is  evident  to  me  that  the  only  mode  of 
averting  ]^J'orthem  wrath,  is  to  shout  for  Stephens  and 
Sumner:  as  the  only  ground  of  protection  from  Northern 
Democrats  is  to  shout  for  Democracy:  Party  ascendency, 
now  as  at  the  beginning  of  our  troubles,  and  not  Patriot- 
ism, controls  all  the  actions  of  the  political  leaders  on 
both  sides. 


To  Worth  <£•  Daniel. 

Mar.  7  1867. 
We  all  thank  you  for  your  box  of  oranges  received — 
and  the  keg  of  which  we  were  advised  last  night  and  which 
has  not  come  to  hand. 
Gloomy  ix)iiticai  I  cannot  perform  my  duty  in  my  present  position  with- 
out a  clearer  apprehension  of  the  whole  revolutionary 
program  than  I  can  acquire  here.  I  shall  start  to  Wash- 
ington to-day  or  to-morrow — and  take  such  action  on  my 
return  as  I  may  deem  best.  The  late  action  of  Congress 
is  generally  confessed  to  be  unconstitutional — but  it  has 
passed  according  to  the  [forms]  of  the  Constitution,  and 
as  we  have  no  power  of  physical  resistance,  it  must  be 
obeyed  until  the  proper  tribunal,  the  Supreme  Court  of 
the  U.  S.,  shall  declare  it  null  and  void.  A  large  part  of 
the  Court,  and  possibly  a  majoTity  of  it,  unites  in  the  revo- 
lution, or  are  terror  stricken  and  will  shrink  from  a  manly 
discharge  of  the  judicial  independence  of  former  times. 
If  I  find  there  is  no  remedy  in  the  Supreme  Court,  there 
is  no  course  left  but  obedience  or  resistence — the  latter  is 
impossible.     I  feel  deeply  my  responsibility. 

I  deem  it  very  uncertain  as  to  how  long  I  shall  be  al- 
lowed to  occupy  my  present  position.  In  revolutions  no- 
body can  anticipate  the  action  of  revolutions  and  therefore 


Correspondence  of  Jonathan  Woirni.  U15 

I  have  little  confidence  in  inv  prescience.  If  1  cannot 
resist,  either  by  the  jndiciary  or  physical  force,  what  course 
is  then  left.  It  seems  to  me  that  obedience  no  longer  be- 
comes degradation — but  sensible  prudence.  If  I  say  I 
will  not  execute  the  law  it  must  result  in  putting  the 
executive  power  in  hands  likely  to  use  it  more  oppressively 
than  I  would,  without  any  tendency  to  avert  the  evils.  I 
conclude,  at  present,  that  if  we  have  no  remedy  through  the 
Judiciary,  we  should  submit  to  a  state  of  things  we  cannot 
resist  and  endeavor  to  guide  the  revolution. 

I  heartily  approve  the  President's  veto  message.  It  was 
his  duty  to  resist  the  enactment  of  an  unconstitutional  law. 
When  it  passed  in  spite  of  him,  I  presume  he  will  deem  it 
his  duty  to  obey  it  until  the  Supreme  Court  shall  declare 
it  void.  That  Court,  I  fear,  is  demoralized  and  will  drift 
with  the  Revolution. 

Deeming  it  entirely  uncertain  wdiether  I  shall  continue 
in  public  service  or  not,  I  propose  to  plant  some  cotton  and 
try  to  make  something  to  live  upon  and  to  give  me  em- 
ployment. 

I  want  giiano  and  bone  phosphate  enough  for  16  acres  of 
cotton — and  have  no  money.  Do  you  sell  these  fertilizers 
to  men  on  whom  you  can  rely  and  wait  till  the  crop  is 
made  ?  If  not,  I  will  not  ask  for  a  credit  you  don't  extend 
to  others  but  will  raise  the  money.  Which  fertilizer  would 
you  use  ?     Will  it  be  best  to  buy  it  of  you,  where  ? 

Wilmington. 


To  John  Berry. 

March  8  1867. 
Yours  without  date,   post-marked  the  7th  inst.  was  re- 
ceived  this  morning.      I   heartily   concur   in  your  views. 
The  uniform  management  of  the  Road  as  hitherto  requires 
radical  changes. 

The  inclosures  will  answer  your  inquiries  as  far  as  I 
am  able. 


916 


JS'oirni  Cakolixa  Histokical  Commission. 


Distribution  of 
supplies  to  the 
needy. 


P.    !S.     1   shall   leave   for  Wasbiugtou   to-night  or  to- 
morrow.    The    action  of    the  Virginia    Senate about 

uiianiinous, — as  well  as  all  the  information  I  receive,  tends 
to  indicate  submission  to  the  Sherman  bill. 

HiLLSBOKO. 


To  Colonel  J .  V.  Bom  ford. 

Ealeigh,  Mar.  8th  1S67. 

I  ijropose,  as  mentioned  to  you  in  our  Conference  to- 
day, to  distribute  the  remaining  TOO  bu.  of  corn  in  the 
hands  of  O.  G.  Parsley  &  Co.,  as  follows,  to  Cabarrus  350 
bu.  to  be  sent  to  Concord,  to  be  distributed  under  the  di- 
rection of  A.  J,  York  and  such  person  as  you  may  nomi- 
nate: and  350  bu.  to  Guilford,  to  be  sent  to  Greensboro 
and  distributed  under  the  direction  of  Jesse  H.  Lindsay 
and  your  nominee. 

Raleigh. 


Distribution  of 
supplies  to  the 
needy. 


From  W.  H.  Bagley  to  0.  G.  Parsley  &  Co. 

It  has  been  agreed  upon  by  Col.  Bomford  and  Gov. 
Worth,  that  the  remaining  700  bushels  of  corn  shall  be 
disposed  of  between  the  Counties  of  Guilford,  Cabarrus 
and  Rutherford.  I  suppose  Gaston  is  mentioned,  in  the 
orders  of  Q.  M.  Means,  as  the  point  of  shipment  for  that 
of  Rutherford.  Fifty  (50)  bu.  only  is  asked  for  Ruther- 
ford ;  the  remaining  to  be  divided  between  the  Counties  of 
Cabarrus  and  Guilford. 

Wilmington. 


COREESPONDEXCE    OF    JONATHAN     WoKTH.  91' 

W.  H.  Barjley  to  W.  A.   W7ighL 

March  20th  1867. 

Yours  of  the  lOtli,  in  regard  to  the  meeting  of  the  Coun-  Sidf.?/ stile, 
oil  of  State,  has  been  received. 

The  object  of  the  Governor  in  assembling  the  Council 
was  to  submit  for  their  consideration  and  advice  the  ex- 
traordinarv  situation  of  Federal  Affairs,  as  touching  this 
and  the  other  Southern  States.  It  is  true,  the  leading 
object  he  had  in  view,  was  the  prompt  assembling  of  the 
General  Assembly,  at  the  time  he  issued  the  summons. 
But  the  time  of  the  meeting  of  the  Council — the  26th  inst 
— will  be,  most  likely,  after  the  issuing  of  Genl  Sickles 
general  order,  assuming  command  of  this  district ;  and  the 
Governor  would,  no  doubt,  like  much  to  have  the  views 
and  opinions  of  his  entire  Council.  With  this  statement, 
you  can  judge  best  yourself  as  to  the  propriety  of  your 
being  absent  from  the  meeting. 

Wilmington. 


Fro7n  W.  H.  Bagley  to  Be  v.  Drury  Lacy. 

March  21st  1867. 
Your  letter  of  the  20th  inst.  to  the  Governor,  enclosing  Estimate  of  s 

'  -^  Ills  111  the  Sti 


another  from  the  Rev.  Dr.  Boarclman,  of  Philadelphia, 
making  inquiries  as  to  the  amount  of  suffering  in  this 
State,  has  been  received.  The  Governor  is  now  absent  but 
I  can  give  you  the  information  desired  with,  perhaps,  as 
much  accuracy,  as  I  have  the  files  of  reports  made  to  him 
by  the  Chairmen  of  the  Warden  Courts,  in  different  coun- 
ties, before  me.  The  following  list  will  give  you  all  the 
information  which  these  reports  afford: — 

Ashe         County  Whites     30  Blacks  20 

Cabarrus         "  "^  "         60                  "  10    « 

Carteret           "  "       108                  "  54 

Caswell           "  "         87                  ''  50 


ufler- 
Statc. 


918  jJ^ORTH  Caeolina  Historical  Commission. 


Relief  of  the  des- 
titute. 


Chatham 

County 

Whites 

1-i 

Blacks 

13 

Clay 

174 

Craven 

52 

Duplin 

173 

20 

Gaston 

30 

6 

Guilford 

255 

20 

Lincoln 

18 

45 

Martin 

70 

29 

Montgomery 

1-14 

50 

Rockingham 

91 

28 

Rowan 

79 

7 

Stanly 

520 

250 

Union 

700 

322 

Yadkin 

65 

21 

The  above  represent  the  nninlier  of  the  indigent  in  each 
of  the  counties  named.  From  less  direct  sources  we  have 
information  that  there  is  destitution  in  Anson  County, 
and  other  localities.  The  destitution  has  been  relieved  in 
the  Counties  of  Stanly,  Anson,  Guilford,  and  Cabarrus, 
somewhat,  in  that  1000  bushels  of  corn  have  been  sent  to 
the  two  first  named,  and  300  bushels  to  the  three  last, 
each. 

Raleigh. 


To  R.  C.  Lindsay. 

March  22  IS 67. 

Some  corn  was  placed  at  the  disposal  of  myself  and  Col. 
Fomford  by  an  association  of  charitable  ladies  in  IST.  Y., 
I  at  the  whole  of  it  has  been  distributed.  350  bu.  of  it 
was  ordered  to  be  sent  to  Guilford — all  under  the  care  of 
Jesse  H.  Lindsay  and  an  officer  appointed  by  Col.  Bum- 
ford.  It  was  all  ordered  to  Greensboro,  for  distribution  to 
the  needv  in   Guilford.     If  it  has  not   already  reached 


i 


Correspondence  of  Jonathan  Worth.  919 

there,  it  will  reach  there  very  soon.  If  you  make  applica- 
tion to  Mr.  Lindsay  he  may  be  able  to  supply  a  little  to  the 
parties  to  whom  you  refer. 

The  Freedman's  Bureau  is  also  extending  aid  to  the 
very  necessitous.  The  Chmn.  of  the  several  warden  Courts 
in  the  State  have  been  called  upon  by  me  under  a  resolu- 
tion of  the  Genl  Assembly,  to  furnish  me  a  list  of  their 
very  indigent.  The  Chn  of  Guilford  has  furnished  me 
with  a  long  list,  which  I  have  had  placed  in  the  hands  of 
the  proper  officer  of  that  Bureau.  If  the  parties  to  whom 
you  refer  have  not  been  placed  on  the  list  and  the  Chmn. 
of  your  Warden  Court  shall  rei^ort  them  to  me  as  being 
unprovided  for  and  unable  to  provide  necessary  food,  I 
will  submit  their  names  to  the  proper  officer — but  I  think 
they  will  be  supplied,  on  your  application  direct  to  the 
officer  of  the  Bureau  in  your  County,  who  distributes  this 
charity,  to-wit,  A.  Dilsworth.  You  had  better  apply  di- 
rectly to  Mr.  Dilsworth. 

High  Point. 


To  Colonel  S.  T.  Wilder. 

Mar.  23  IS 67. 
I  understand  the  police  force  formed  in  this  State  by  Relating  to  the 

i  -^    police  force. 

the  Federal  army  is  not  now  recognized  as  an  organization 
by  the  Federal  authorities.  The  persons  composing  this 
organization  were  liable  to  enrollment  in  the  militia ;  but 
under  the  late  acts  of  Congress  putting  us  under  martial 
law  and  declaring  the  State  militia  disorganized,  your 
question  at  present,  w^hether  the  answer  be  the  one  way  *v 
the  other,  has  no  practical  importance  now.  It  was  other- 
wise at  the  date  of  yr  letter. 

LOTJISBURG. 


920  I^OETH  Carolina  Historical  Commissiox. 

To  J.  T.  Murehead. 

March  23  1867. 
Ad^-ising  regis-  Yours  of  the  Otli  inst.  reached  here  after  I  had  left  for 

tration. 

Washington.  1  find  most  of  it  relating  to  matters  which 
subsequent  legislation  has  made  provision  for. 

It  is  manifest  that  everybody  entitled  to  vote  ought  to 
register  and  do  his  best  by  his  vote  and  his  influence  to 
elect  as  good  men  as  possible  into  the  Convention. 
Plan  of  opposing         When  the  Convention  shall  have  acted,  if  the  Constitu- 

the  Reconstruction  _  _  ' 

acts.  tion  be  intolerable,  going  further  in  the  way  of  proscrip- 

tion than  the  legislation  of  Congress  requires,  there  will  be 
a  chance  to  refuse  the  Constitution  by  a  majority  of  the 
[voters  ?]  The  only  question  (inter  nos)  being  debated  by 
the  Southern  States',  is,  whether  it  be  expedient  or  not,  for 
the  States  to  apjily  to  the  Supreme  Court  of  the  U.  S.,  at  its 
session,  next  month,  for  a  Writ  of  Injunction  against  the 
Prest  and  the  military  commandants,  restraining  them 
from  executing  this  law  on  the  ground  of  its  unconstitu- 
tionality. Sharkey,  R.  J.  Walker  and  Parsons  think  this 
course  will  be  effectual  and  advisable.  The  legislature  of 
Louisiana  has  directed  this  course.  It  is  certain  that  the 
Governors  of  Va.  La.  and  Ala.  will  oppose  any  applica- 
tion to  the  Court.  I  am  not  informed  as  to  the  views  of 
the  Governors  of  S.  C,  Florida,  Georgia  and  Texas — 
Mississippi  will  try  the  Court. 

I  will  submit  the  question  to  my  Council  next  Tuesday. 

I  have  not  time  to  give  you  the  arguments  pro  and  con. 

I  would  gladly  have  the  views  of  our  legal  friends  on 
this  question  by  next  Tuesday. 


To  Thomas  Ruffin. 

Mor.  23  1867. 

Se^Reconsmit-  ^^  ^^  deemed  inexpedient  that  Congress  know  that  any 

tion  acts.  q£  ^j^g  States  will  make  an  effort  to  resist,  bv  the  action  of 


COKRESPONDEXCE    OF    JOXATHAN    WOKTII.  921 

the  Supreme  Court,  the  execution  of  the  military  re- 
construction bill  of  the  2nd  March,  lest  thej  continue  their 
sitting  or  take  further  measures  to  embarrass  or  overthrow 
the  Court.  You  will  therefore  speak  of  what  follows  only 
to  Gov.  Graham  and  other  legal  friends  in  whom  you  may 
confide. 

Judge  Sharkey  and  R.  G.  Walker  are  employed  by  the 
Gov,  of  Mississippi  to  apply  in  the  name  of  that  State  and 
such  others  as  may  choose  to  join  in  it,  to  the  Supreme 
Court  of  the  U.  S.,  which  holds  an  adjourned  session  next 
month,  for  an  Injunction  against  the  Prest.  and  his  mili- 
tary commandants,  restraining  them  from  the  execution 
of  the  law  on  the  ground  of  its  unconstitutionality. 

I  have  heard  the  bill  read.  On  next  Tuesday  I  shall 
submit  to  our  Council  of  State  the  questions — 

1.  AMiether  the  Gov.  alone,  or  with  the  advice  of  his 
Council,  have  the  right  to  make  the  State  a  party  to  such 
a  bill? 

2.  Is  it  expedient  to  do  so  ? 

I  have  written  Judge  Curtis  for  his  opinion  to  be  sub- 
mitted to  my  Council — and  would  like  to  have  yours  aud 
Gov.  Graham's. 

HlLLSBORO. 


To  Mrs.  B.  C.  Priicliard. 

Mar.  28  1867. 
I  thank  vou  for  callina:  mv  attention  to  the  case  of  ex-  Relief  of  the 

"^  .  .  .  destitute. 

treme  destitution  which  you  so  feelingly  describe. 

jSTo  money  is  placed  under  my  control — nor  clothing.  I 
have  control  over  some  corn  sent  from  Phila.  It  is  in 
Wilmington.  I  will  have  some  sent  to  your  care  at  War- 
renton  to  be  given  to  Mr.  Ball  and  family.  He  can  get 
$50.  from  the  State  Treasury  on  account  of  the  loss  of  his 
arm,  upon  the  certificate  of  yr.  Clerk  of  the  County  Court 
or  vour  Shff.     Blank  forms  of  this  certificate  required  are 


922  XoRTii  Carolina  Historical  Commission. 

in  the  Imiids  of  your  Slili".  and  Clerk.  I  have  spoken  to 
Mr.  Eaton  who  is  here  to-day  to  assist  Mr.  Ball  in  getting 
the  nionev  without  the  tronble  of  coming  here. 


To  R.  M.  Stafford. 


March  28  1867. 


Yonrs  of  yesterday  is  before  me. 

Yon  will  have  seen  by  the  orders  of  Genl  Sickles  that  he 
does  not  propose  to  interfere  with  the  execution  of  the 
laws  of  the  State.  Until  he  shall  forbid  it,  it  is  your 
duty  to  proceed  in  all  your  duties,  as  though  martial  law 
had  not  been  proclaimed. 

I  have  pardoned  Davis  with  the  understanding  that  the 
Freedman's  Bureau  will  remove  him  from  the  State.  The 
pardon  was  yesterday  sent  to  Col.  Bumford  with  the  view 
that  he  present  it  to  you  and  take  charge  of  the  negro  for 
transportation  out  of  the  State. 

Greensboro. 


To  W.  A.  SharJcey.^ 

March  28  1867. 
Under  opinions  of  judges  Black  and  Ruffin  the  Council 
of  State  decline  to  make  ISTorth  Carolina  a  party. 
Washington,  D.  C. 


'William  A.  Sharkey,  former  Chief  Justice  of  Mississippi,  Provi- 
sional Governor  in  1865,  and  at  this  time  an  applicant  for  admission 
to  a  seat  in  the  U.  S.  Senate. 


Correspondence  of  JonxVtiian  Woktii.  923 

To  L.  E.  Parsons. 

Kaleigh  Mar.  28/67. 
I  asked  the  opinions  of  Judges  Black  and  Ruffin  as  to  Decisiou  not  to 

^  °  join  in  opposing 

making  I^ortli  Carolina  a  party  to  Judge  Sharkey's  bill.  {fff/acts°'^'^"^ 
Each  of  them  doubts  whether  the  Supreme  Court  will  sus- 
tain the  bill.  Each  of  them  thinks  it  improbable  that  we 
can  obtain  any  relief  through  the  Supreme  Court.  Three 
members  of  my  Council  are  eminent  lawyers  and  opposed 
any  effort  to  resist  the  laws  in  question,  on  the  ground 
that  they  doubt  both  the  power  and  the  inclination  of  the 
Court  to  give  us  any  relief  and  think  an  abortive  attempt 
would  impair  our  influence  in  the  coming  elections.  The 
Council  decided  unanimously  against  any  resort  to  the  Su- 
preme Court. 

Washington,  D.  C. 


To  Thomas  Riiffin. 

Ealeigh,  Mar.  29/67. 

I  thank  you  for  yr  answer  to  my  inquiry  as  to  your  political  conai 
opinion  on  a  legal  question  of  momentous  importance  to 
the  State. 

There  is  remarkable  concurrence  in  the  views  taken  by 
you  and  Judge  Curtis  on  the  main  question  submitted  both 
as  to  the  probable  decision  and  the  expediency  of  seeking 
redress  through  the  Courts.  I  had  arrived  at  the  same 
conclusion.  Notwithstanding  the  undress  in  which,  for 
want  of  time,  you  had  to  appear,  I  laid  your  letter  unoifi- 
eially  before  my  Council.  After  due  deliberation  the 
Council  decided  unanimously  that  it  was  inexpedient  for 
the  State  to  join  in  the  proceeding.  I  have  not  deemed  it 
proper  to  let  it  go  to  the  public  that  we  have  had  the  matter 
under  consideration.  Our  action  officially  appears  on  our 
Journal  and  there  is  nothing  in  it  which  we  desire  to  con- 


924  XoKTH  Caeolixa  Histoeical  Commission. 

ceal,  only  for  the  fact  tliat  Mississippi  may  abandon  the 
scheme  and  as  I  was  possessed  of  the  facts  with  liberty 
only  to  make  them  kno^vn  to  my  Council  and  discreet  legal 
friends  whose  opinions  I  might  desire  to  obtain,  I  have 
allowed  the  press  to  know  only  that  the  Council  was  called 
before  the  passage  of  the  supplemental  re-construction  bill 
to  consider  the  expediency  of  calling  together  the  Genl.  A. 

I  am  sorry  I  cannot  possibly  find  time  to  give  you  many 
facts  and  conclusions,  arrived  at  by  my  visit  to  Richmond 
and  Washington,  as  also  some  account  of  the  proceedings 
of  the  Holden  Conventions  yesterday.  It  consisted  of  a 
very  numerous  assemblage  from  many,  if  not  most,  of  the 
Counties  of  the  State,  about  half  black  and  half  white ; — 
the  blacks  the  more  conservative  element  and  their  leader 
J.  H.  Harris,  from  all  I  can  understand,  the  most  intelli- 
gent, liberal  and  eloquent  man  in  the  body.  The  leaders. 
Settle,  Dick,  Holden,  etc.  urged  and  the  body  organized 
under  the  name  of  the  Republican  party  against  the  views 
of  such  consistent  men  as  Hedrick,  Goodloe  and  a  few 
others  who  urged  the  name  of  the  National  Union  party. 
It  was  probable  the  most  radical  w^hich  has  assembled  in 
the  United  States.  It  was  enthusiastic  of  success — formed 
plans  of  thorough  organization  in  every  County  in  the 
State  and  will  probably  be  liberally  supplied  with  money 
for  electioneering  purposes  from  the  K'orth.  They  avoiu 
their  design  to  elect  to  the  Convention  and  to  Congress 
men  who  will  co-operate  with  the  majority  of  Congress  and 
thus  insure  our  re-admission  into  the  Union  and  the  avoid- 
ing of  confiscation.  Many  of  them  avow  the  most  pro- 
scription purposes  against  what  they  call  the  leading  rebels, 
among  whom  they  class  all  who  are  not  adherents  of 
Holden. 

This  is  a  most  formidable  combination.  Each  County, 
for  itself,  must  adopt  the  best  measures  possible  to  avert 
the  further  calamities  which  are  in  store  for  us,  I  fear. 

HiLI-SBORO. 


COKRESPONDENCE    OF    JONATHAN    WoETH.  925 

To  Andrew  Johnson. 

Ealeigh^  Mar  20  1807. 

You  are  probably  appraised  that  immediately  after  the  fitfon ?n  NortS'^^ 
publicatiou  of  the  act  of  the  '2nd  March  iust.,  Govr.  liol-  ^a™""'^- 
den  and  some  of  his  friends  got  up  the  project  of  electing 
members  to  a  State  Convention  by  action  of  the  people  in 
primary  meetings.     After  the  passage  of  the  supplemental 
bill  Avhich  frustrated  this  purpose,  the  call  for  a  meeting 
of  delegates  here  from  the  whole  State,  including  black  as 
well  as  white,  was  continued.     The  persons  active  in  get- 
ting it  up  claimed  to  be  the  par  excellence  Union  men  of 
the  State.     They  met  on  the  27th  and  adjourned  yesterday 
evening,  the  28th.     There  was  a  large  number  in  attend- 
ance from  most  of  the  Counties  of  the  State,  I  think  about 
half  black  and  half  white.      Tliey  adopted   the  name  of 
the  Kepublican  party.     They  avowed  their  purpose  of  can- 
did co-operation  with  the  Republican  party  of  the  North. 
All  or  nearly  all  of  the  whites,  were  followers  of  Mr.  Hol- 
den,   and  advocated  last  summer  the  ratification  of  the 
constitutional  amendment,  popularly  called  the  Howard 
amendment.  In  their  debates  and  proceedings  they  evinced 
the  purpose  of  excelling  the  jSTorthern  Radicals  in  Radi- 
calism, though  a  very  large  majority  of  the  whites  and 
nearly  all  the  leaders  among  them  are  disfranchised  for 
participation  in  the  rebellion  under  the  late  action  of  Con- 
gress.    The  hope  of  attaining  political  ascendency  in  the 
State  and  the  fear  of  confiscation  were  probably  the  chief 
incentives  which  controlled  their  action.     They  took  meas- 
ures for  thorough  organization  in  every   Count}^  in  the 
State,  in  order  to  carry  out  their  designs  at  the  elections — 
and  they  expect,  as  I  understand,  liberal  supplies  of  money 
from  the  ISTorth,  to  aid  them  in  carrying  out  their  purposes. 
The  great  body  of  the  people  of  the  State  would  like  to 
vote  for  the  best  men  among  us  who  can  take  the  teste 
oath  and  who  indulge  no  malevolence  towards  their  fellow 
citizens  who  participated  in  the  late  rebellion.     I  mean 


926  ]!^ORTH  Carolina  Historical,  Commissiox. 

real  Union  men  and  not  latter  day  saints — but  this  great 
body  of  the  people  can  adopt  no  systematic  plan  of  co- 
operation— have  no  money — are  paralyzed  by  their  ac- 
cumulated calamities.  The  issue,  under  the  circumstances, 
must  be  regarded  as  doubtful. 

The  negroes,  so  far,  are  apparently  more  conservative 
than  the  white  men  who  claim  to  be  their  special  friend. 
In  this  organization,  of  course,  there  was  no  kind  word  for 
you ;  but  while  you  arc  doubtless  mortified  by  the  desertion 
of  many  sunshine  friends  it  may  be  of  some  consolation  to 
you  to  know  that  the  great  majority  of  the  intelligent  and 
patriotic  people  of  this  State  admire  the  firmness  with 
which  you  adhere  to  you  station  and  duty  and  regard  the 
record  you  have  made  as  one  of  the  most  enviable  which 
our  history  will  record. 
Asking  the  pardon      I  mentioned  to  you  when  in  Washington  a  subject  about 

of  certain  persons.  i  i     i  i-  i  r» 

which  1  may  have  troubled  you  too  often — but  so  nrm  are 
my  convictions  that  I  trust  you  will  pardon  me  for  once 
more  calling  your  attention  to  it.  It  relates  to  the  omis- 
sion to  pardon  Gov.  Graham,  Jo.  Turner,  B.  S.  Gaither 
and  Gov.  Vance.  Every  one  of  these  men  were  as  utterly 
opposed  to  secession  as  you  were  and  exerted  themselves  to 
their  utmost  power  to  avert  disunion  and  war  until  war 
was  begun,  and  they  were  compelled  to  elect  between  the 
evils  which  beset  them.  After  they  did  elect  to  go  with 
the  South,  each  of  them  was  elected  to  the  Confederate 
Congress  and  co-operated  in  good  faith  with  the  South. 
This  is  the  extent  of  their  sin.  Are  they  more  in  fault 
than  Dortch,  Venable,  Arrington,  Lander,  McLean,  R.  R. 
Bridgers  and  Davis,  who  were  ardent  secessionists  and 
were  also  members  of  the  Confederate  Congress.  I  do  not 
disapprove  of  these  latter  pardons.  I  think  the  granting 
of  them  does  credit  to  you  as  a  statesman.  All  of  them 
are  now  loyal : — not  more  loyal  than  the  four  unpardoned 
gentlemen  named.  Your  friends  in  !N"orth  Carolina  uni- 
versally complain  of  the  discrimination.      T  am  sure  you 


CORKESPONDENCE    OF    JONATHAN    WoRTH.  927 

would  but  do  an  act  of  magnanimous  statesmanship  in 
pardoning  these  men  and  that  you  would  thereby  warm  the 
hearts  of  your  friends. 

There  are  two  other  gentlemen,  Gov.  Clark, — and  Owen 
Kenan  whom  I  should  be  glad  to  see  pardoned.  They  are 
most  estimable  men  and  their  case  no  way  distinguishable 
from  that  of  the  other  four,  save  that  they  were  secession- 
ists and  favored  the  measures  which  led  to  the  rebellion. 

As  I  have  heretofore  said  to  you,  I  favor  universal  am- 
nesty and  therefore  would  not  withhold  my  recommenda- 
tion of  any  body : — but  if  yon  deem  it  prudent  to  withhold 
your  pardon  from  a  few,  will  not  the  officers  educated  at 
West  Point  and  who  joined  in  the  Rebellion,  Genl.  Cling- 
man,  who  was  a  senator  in  Congress  at  the  breaking  out  of 
the  war,  and  Judge  Biggs,  a  district  judge  of  the  IJ.  S., 
who  resigned  for  a  like  position  nnder  the  Confederate 
States,  be  a  sufficient  number  of  victims  to  reserve  ? 

Govr.  Vance,  you  will  remember,  was  for  a  time  held  a 
prisoner  in  the  old  capitol  prison  at  Washington.  By  your 
indulgence'  he  w^as  liberated  on  his  parole  not  to  leave  the 
State.  If  you  should  decline  to  pardon  him  I  hope  you 
will  relieve  him  from  his  parole. 


From.  W.  H.  Bagley  to  Worth  &  Daniel. 

April  2nd  1867. 
I  am  instructed  by  His  Excellency,  the  Governor,  to  in-  Relief  of  the 

P  ,  .  .         "  destitute. 

lorm  you,  that  m  accordance  with  an  agreement  between 
himself  and  Col.  Bomford,  he  desires  that  you  will  cause 
to  be  shipped,  as  early  as  practicable,  of  the  corn  in  your 
care  of  the  Philadelphia  Southern  Relief  Association, 
1200  bushels  to  Salisbury,  consigned  to  the  U.  S.  Quarter 
Master  at  that  place — and  1000  bushels  to  Charlotte,  con- 
signed to  the  U.  S.  Quarter  Master  at  that  place — and  800 
bushels  to  Raleigh,  consigned  to  the  TJ.  S.  Quarter  Master 
at  that  place. 


928  jSToktii  Caeolika  Histokical  Commission. 

The  1000  bushels  for  Charlotte  is  for  the  County  of 
Union — of  the  1200  bushels  for  Salisbury,  700  bushels  are 
for  Stanly  and  500  bushels  for  Anson.  The  remainder 
(800  bushels)  for  Kaleigh,  are  intended  to  be  held  subject 
to  the  wants  of  other  localities  as  they  may  be  made  known 
hereafter. 

Lieut.  Means,  A.  Q.  ]\[.  in  your  City  will  furnish  you 
transportation  on  the  Rail  Roads,  and  other  assistance  in 
the  shipping,  as  directed  by  Col.  Bumford. 

Any  expense  which  may  be  necessary  in  shipping,  dray- 
age,  etc.  will  be  met  by  this  department  on  presentation 
of  bill  for  the  same. 

WiLMIXGTOX. 


To  Rev.  Landy  ^Vood. 

Apl  2  1867. 
Relief  of  the  Yours  of  the  26th  ult.  with  others  of  like  character,  is  be- 

destitute. 

fore  me,  and  deeply  touch  my  feelings.  All  these  charit- 
able associations,  which  are  in  correspondence  with  me, 
make  me  and  Col.  Bomford,  chief  of  the  Freedman's  Bu- 
reau in  this  State,  their  agents  for  the  distribution  of  their 
bounty,  the  object  being,  I  suppose,  that  destitute  negroes 
as  well  as  whites  shall  receive  their  share.  We  appoint  a 
joint  commission  in  each  County  to  which  we  send  corn 
(nothing  else  but  corn  has  been  sent  us) — to  distribute  it. 
A  benevolent  association  of  ladies  of  ISTew  York  sent  us, 
a  month  ago  3000  bu.  of  corn.  It  reached  Wilmington 
some  4  weeks  ago.  My  information  led  me  to  believe  that 
the  Counties  of  Union  and  Stanly  were  more  destitute 
than  any  others.  The  bulk  of  the  donation  was  accord- 
ingly ordered  to  those  Counties. 

The  F's  Bureau  undertook  to  give  free  transportation 
on  the  R.  R.  To  my  great  surprise  I  now  find  that  through 
the  fault  of  the  officer  of  the  Bureau  or  of  the  R.  R.  that 
the  corn  was  not  start'^d  from  Wilmington  till  a  day  or 
two  ago. 


COKRESPO^'DEXCE    OF    JoXATHAX     WoKTlI.  929 

3000  Lush,  more  of  corn  was  purchased  recently  in  Wil- 
mington hy  a  Phila.  benevolent  association  and  placed  at 
our  disposal.  1000  bush,  of  this  latter  lot  is  ordered  to 
Charlotte  for  your  County. 

WOLFESVILLE^  UnION  Co. 


From  W.  H.  Bagley  to  Daniel  Freeman. 

Ap-il  2  1867. 
I  am  instructed  by  the  Governor  to  inform  you  that  Relief  of  the 
he  and  Col.  Bomford  have  ordered  700  bushels  of  corn, 
from  the  Philadelphia  Southern  Relief  Association,  to 
be  shipped  for  Salisbury,  consigned  to  the  U.  S.  Q.  Master 
at  that  place,  for  the  use  of  the  destitute  of  Stanly  County. 
The  1000  bushels  heretofore  ordered  for  your  County  has 
been  shipped,  after  an  inexcusable  delay  on  the  part  of 
some  one,  and  has  doubtless  reached  Salisbury  before  this. 
The  Govemer  begs  that  you  will  superintend  the  distribu- 
tion of  the  last  lot  as  well  as  the  first. 

ALBE:\rARLE. 


From  W.  H.  Bagley  to  L.  L.  Polh 

Apnl  2nd  1SC>7. 
I  am  instructed  by  the  Governor  to  inform  you  that  he  Relief  of  the 

^  -J  destitute. 

and  Col.  Bomford  have  ordered  500  bushels  of  corn  from 
the  Philadelphia  Southern  Relief  Association,  to  be 
shipped  for  Salisbury,  consigned  to  the  U.  S.  Q.  Master 
at  that  place,  for  the  use  of  the  destitute  of  Anson  County. 
The  300  bushels  heretofore  ordered  for  your  County  has 
been  shipped,  after  an  inexcusable  delay  on  the  part  of 
someone,  and  has  doubtless  reached  Charlotte  before  this. 
This  lot  has  been  ordered  to  Salisbury  because  we  learn  it 
is  most  convenient  to  your  County.     The  Governor  begs 

Vol.  2—18 


930  Xoirni   C'akoi.ixa  IIistokical  Commissiox. 

that  you  will  snpcriiitciul  the  distriUntion  of  the  last  lot 
as  "well  as  the  first. 
Lanesboro. 


To  George  V.  Strong.^ 

Apl  2  1861. 
Both  Judge  Curtis  aud  Judge  Ruffin  were  of  opinion 
that  relief  was  not  likely  to  be  obtained  through  the  Su- 
preme Court,  in  which  all  my  Council  concurred.' — ]Mr. 
Eaton  had  considered  the  question  a  good  deal  and  was 
very  decidedly  against  making  the  State  a  party  to  the 
suit. 

Send  me  anit  of  yr  expenses  on  trip  to  Washington. 

GOLBSBOKO. 


From  ^V.  H.  BagJey  to  John  Welsli. 

April  0th  1S67. 
Relief  of  the  I  am  instructed  bv  His   Excellency,  the   Governor,  to 

destitute.  ."  '^  . 

acknowledge  the  receipt  of  your  favor  of  the  22nd  ultimo, 
addressed  to  himself  and  Col.  Bomford,  advising  them 
that  you  had  designated  Messrs  Worth  &  Daniel,  Wilming- 
ton, to  provide  3000  bushels  of  corn  at  the  instance  of 
the  citizens  of  Philadelphia,  for  distribution  among  the 
destitute  and  suffering  of  this  State. 

Simultaneous  with  your  letter  came  one  from  Messrs. 
Worth  &  Daniel,  containing  the  same  information,  in- 
forming us  that  they  had  the  corn  subject  to  our  orders.  I 
have  the  pleasure,  at  the  same  time,  to  inform  you  that 
the  corn  is  now  on  its  way  from  Wilmington  to  the  desti- 
tute. 


1  George  V.  Strontr,  of  Wayne  county,  a  noted  lawyer.  He  was  a 
member  of  the  convention  of  ISHl,  and  was  Confederate  District 
Attorney  during  the  entire  war. 


CORRESPOXDEXCE    OF    JoA'ATIIAX     W'oUTII.  931 

It  has  been  distributed  as   follows : — 

1000    bushels    to    Uniou    County 
750         ''  ''     Stanly       " 

500         "  "     Anson        " 

Making  2200  bushels.  The  remaining  800  bushels  have 
been  shipped  to  this  place,  to  be  held  to  meet  any  further 
demand  from  other  localities.  Great  destitution  prevails 
in  the  above  named  counties,  especially  the  first  two 
named — in  the  first  of  which  two  they  are  begging  bread, 
and  many  seem  contented  when  they  only  get  that.  There 
is  considerable  suffering  in  other  portions  of  the  State — 
but  it  is  not  to  be  compared  with  that  of  the  counties 
named,  owing  to  an  utter  failure  of  the  crops  in  those 
counties. 

The  Governor  thanks  you,  in  the  name  of  our  people, 
and,  through  you,  the  benevolent  citizens  of  Philadelphia, 
for  their  patriotic  remembrance  in  the  hour  of  our  peo- 
ple's trial — and  he  hopes  that  those  who  know  so  w^ell  when 
and  how  to  give,  may  always,  under  the  blessings  of 
Heaven,  have  an  abundance  out  of  which  to  give. 

Philadelphia,  Pa. 


From  ^Y.  H.  Bagley  to  David  ^Yorth. 

April  8th  1861. 
The  citizens  of  Philadeli3hia  having  contributed  a  con-  Relief  of  the 

^  ®.  .  destitute. 

siderable  amount  of  corn  for  the  destitute  of  this  State, 
Gov.  Worth  and  Col.  Bomford  have  directed  200  bu.  of  it 
to  be  sold  for  the  benefit  of  the  destitute  of  Ashe  County, 
and  the  money  to  be  sent  to  you — with  which  you  are  re- 
quested by  them  to  buy  corn,  or  other  supplies,  and  dis- 
tribute among  those  of  your  County  whom  you  know  to 
be  destitute.  Please  inform  the  Governor  of  the  best  mode 
to  get  the  money  to  you. 
XoRTH  Fork. 


<i32  Xo.rrii  Cakolixa  JIistojucal  Commission. 

From   W.  11.  Baglrij  iu  F.  T.  Burton. 

April  Oik  18(57. 
Relief  of  the  \  ou  have  bcGii  appointed  by  the  Governor  to  superintend 

the  purchase  of  some  corn  for  the  destitute  in  Wilkes.  Of 
the  corn  contributed  by  the  citizens  of  Philadelphia  for 
the  destitute  of  this  State,  Gov.  Worth  and  Col.  Bomford 
have  ordered  200  bushels  to  be  sold  for  the  benefit  of 
Wilkes  and  the  money  will  be  sent  to  you  and  the  County 
Court  Clerk  to  buy  other  corn  with,  to  be  distributed  by 
you  and  the  Clerk  among  those  whom  you  may  know^  to 
be  needy.  The  money  will  be  sent  by  Maj.  Johnston,  U. 
S.  Q.  Master  for  this  State — and  you  will  do  well  to  con- 
fer with  the  Clerk  at  once. 

WiLKESBOKO. 


destitute. 


From  ^Y.  H.  Bagley  to  J.  C.  Tiirrentine. 

April  9th  IS 67. 
Relief  of  the  111  response  to  your  letter  to  the  Governor  of  yesterday 

150  bushels  of  corn  have  been  ordered  to  be  shipped  to 
Hillsboro  for  the  destitute  of  Orange — and  jou  have  been 
appointed  by  the  Governor  to  act,  on  his  part,  in  its  dis- 
tribution, with  Lt.  Porter,  Agt.  of  the  Bureau,  who  has 
been  named  by  Col.  Bumford  to  act  with  you. 

The  utter  destitution  of  Union  and  Stanly  Counties  has 
.     made  it  a  necessity  that  most  of  the  contributions  which 
have  been  received,  should  be  sent  to  them. 

HiLT.SBOKO. 


From  Tf .  H.  Bagley  to  C.  M.  Moss. 

April  9th  1867. 


Relief  of  the  Your  letter  to  the  Governor  of  the  7th  inst.  in  regard 


to  the  suffering  of  your  County  has  been  received.     The 
Govr.  and  Col.  Bomford  have  ordered  150  bushels  of  corn 


Correspondence  of  Jonathan  Worth. 

to  be  shipped  at  once  for  Lexington — and  the  Governor 
has  appointed  you  to  aid  in  its  distribution,  with  the  agent 
of  the  F.  Bureau  in  Lexington,  who  has  been  appointed  by 
CoL  Bomford. 
Clemmonsville. 


From'  W.  H.  Bagley  io  Mrs.  MeJvlna  Wolf. 

April  13th  1867. 

I  am  informed  by  the  Governor  that  he  has  ordered  10 
bushels  of  corn  to  be  shipped  to  your  address  at  High 
Point.  When  it  shall  have  arrived,  please  acknowledge 
its  receipt. 

Bethania, 


From  W.  H.  Bagley  to  Mrs.  E.  C.  Pritcliard. 

Raeeigh,  April  18th  1867. 
In  response  to  your  letter  of  the  Governor  of  the  26th  Relief  of  the 

,  .    .  .  destitute. 

ultimo,  in  regard  to  the  necessities  of  Mr.  Rob.  Ball  of 
your  neighborhood,  I  am  instructed  to  inform  you  that 
the  Governor  has  directed  that  twenty  (20)  bushels  of  the 
corn  contributed  to  the  destitute  of  this  State  by  the  Phila- 
delphia Southern  Relief  Association,  be  shipped  to  your 
address,  the  greater  part  of  ^vhich  he  desires  that  you 
will  convey  to  Mr.  Ball.  The  Chairman  of  the  Warden 
Court  of  your  County  has  informed  the  Governor  that 
there  is  an  old  negro  in  your  County  entirely  destitute — 
and  it  is  desired  that  the  remainder  be  turned  over  to  the 
Chairman  for  the  benefit  of  this  old  negro.  The  Governor 
wishes  you  to  divide  the  twenty  bushels  between  the  two 
parties  referred  to  their  necessities  and  respective  wants. 
The  Chairman  or  the  Warden  will  be  notified  of  this  and 
requested  to  call  on  you  for  the  portion  wdiich  you  may 
allot  to  the  negro.  The  corn  will  be  shipped  to  Warren- 
ton  in  the  course  of  a  dav  or  two. 


93-1  XoRTH  Cakoli.na  Historical  CommissiOjst. 

The  Governor  rcgi-ets  his  iiiahility  to  do  more,  but  trusts 
this  aiuount  will  nfTord   at  least  temporary  relief. 
Wakrenton. 


To  Clinton  A.  Cilley.^ 

Apl  IS  1SG7. 

Yours  of  the  14th  inst.  is  just  received. 

I  know  nothing  of  the  matter  'to  which  you  refer  save 
what  I  learn  from  your  letter. 

I  view  with  absolute  al)horrence  the  vindictive  feeling 
too  often  exhibited  by  bad  men  on  both  sides  of  the  late 
suicidal  w^ar  and  will  be  always  ready  personally  and  offi- 
cially to  do  any  thing  I  may  properly  do  to  defeat  the 
devilish  machinations  of  these  bad  men.  I  honor  you  for 
your  manly  purposes.  I  know^  no  means  by  which  I  can 
ascertain  whether  the  information  you  received  be  reliable 
or  not. 


To  George  V.  Strong. 

Apl  19  1567. 

Inclosed  find  my  check  on  J.  G.  Williams  &  Co.  for 
sixty  three  dollars,  your  expenses  on  trip  to  Washington 
City.     Please  acknowledge  receipt  of  same. 

I  am  more  and  more  satisfied  that  our  joining  in  the 
]\[i."  bill  would  have  had  no  tendency  to  relieve  us  from 
military  despotism. 

The  measures  taken  in  the  case  of  Wood,  of  yr.  place, 
as  I  understand  them,  amount  to  little  less  than  contempt 
of  the  Executive  authority  of  the  State.     It  is  bad  enough 


1  Clinton  A.  Cilley  was  a  native  of  New  Hampshire,  a  colonel  in 
the  Federal  army  during  the  war,  and  afterwards  a  superintendent 
of  the  Freedmen's  Bureau  in  Salisbury.  He  married  and  settled  in 
the  State,  and  at  Governor  ^^'orth■s  request  was  apjiointed  a  Judge 
of  the  Superior  Court. 

-  Mississippi. 


COKKESPONDENCE    OF    JONATHAN    WoRTH.  935 

to  have  our  luithority  condemned  by  the  United  States. 
I  did  not  expect  it  from  onr  own  people. 

GOLDSBORO. 


From  W.  II.  BagJey  to  Bev.  II.  T.  Hudson. 

April  19th  1S07. 
I  am  instructed  by  the  Governor  to  inform  you  that  Relief  of  the 

■^  _  _  -^     _  destitute. 

he  is  in  receipt  of  a  large  quantity  of  supplies,  contributed 
by  the  State  of  Maryland,  to  the  destitute  and  suffering  of 
this  State ;  and  looking  to  the  impartial  and  just  distri- 
bution of  the  same,  he  respectfully  invites  you  to  meet  the 
pastors  of  other  Churches  of  this  City,  in  his  office,  to-day 
at  12  o'clock,  M,  to  advise  with  him  in  regard  thereto. 

Ealeigh,  K  C. 


From  W.  II.  Baglcy  to  I),  d/.  Baninr/cr. 

April  19th  IS 67. 

I  am  instructed  by  the  Governor  to  request  you  to  meet 
him  and  the  pastors  of  the  different  C^hurches  of  this  City, 
at  his  office,  at  12  o'clock  M,  to-day,  to  consult  with  ref- 
erence to  the  distribution  of  the  supplies  contributed  by 
the  State  of  Maryland  to  the  destitute  and  suffering  of 
this  State. 

ItALEIGTT. 


To  Z.  B.   Vance. 

Apl  20  1SG7. 
You  may  take  the  oaths  before  the  Comr.  of  Affidavits — 
but  you  had  better  take  them  before  your  notary  public 
or  the  clerk  of  one  of  your  Courts  who  can  verify  his  action 
by  his  official  seal. 

I  have  pleasure  in  believing  that  I  at  least  put  the  ball 
in  motion  which  brought  about  your  pardon. 
Cttarlotte. 


936  i^OKTII    CAEOLI^■A    HiSTOKICAL    COMMISSION. 

To  D.  G.  Worlh. 

April  27  1867. 
Mail  contracts.  The  mail  line  from  here  to  Fayetteville  is  broken  up 

by  the  failure  of  the  contractors  for  the  carrying  of  the 
mails  to  perform  their  undertaking.  Fayetteville  and  the 
surrounding  country  is  thus  cut  off  from  mail  facilities. 
Dr.  Jobe  goes  to  Wilmington  on  Monday  and  will  probably 
carry  with  him  the  accumulated  mail  for  Fayetteville  and 
the  surrounding  country.  He  is  disposed  to  do  everything 
which  can  reasonable  be  expected  from  him  to  grant  to 
our  people  all  the  mail  facilities  we  can  justly  expect: — 
but  he  has  no  power,  at  present,  to  make  any  contract, 
binding  on  the  government,  as  to  the  transmission  of  the 
mails  on  the  C.  F.  river.  He  will  recommend  the  carrv- 
ing  of  the  mail  on  the  Host,  twice  a  week,  at  such  price 
as  the  government  may  deem  adequate.  ^Vhether  such 
contract  will  be  so  stringent  that  we  cannot  undertake  it, 
in  view  of  the  low  state  of  the  river  at  certain  seasons  can- 
not now  be  known — and  whether  you  could  make  arrange- 
ments to  have  the  Gov.  Worth  to  make  one  weekly  trip  at 
a  stated  time,  so  as  to  carry  the  mail  tri-weekly,  I  do  not 
know.  If  the  price  paid  be  adequate,  I  think  it  should 
be  carried  tri-weekly.  I  hope  you  will  carry  up  the  mail 
Dr.  Jobe  takes  with  him,  whether  we  get  any  pay  or  not — 
and  continue  to  carry  it  until  some  definite  arrangement 
can  be  made. 

Dr.  Jobe  is  a  most  estimable  gentleman  and  I  rec- 
ommend you  and  our  Company  to  confer  with  him  unre- 
servedly on  the  whole  matter — and  to  aid,  as  far  as  may 
be  done  without  serious  detriment  to  our  interCvSts,  in  sup- 
plying the  Cape  Fear  region  with  the  mail. 
Wir.^rTXGTox. 


COKRESPONDENCE    OF    JONATIIAX    WoilTII.  937 

To  ^Y.  F.  Leal: 

Eai.eigii,  a  pi  29/07. 

Your  several  letters  pressing  on  my  attention  the  desti-  gj^f  **"^''^" '"  ^•"^' 
tution  in  jr.  County  have  been  reed  and  referred  to  the 
commission  I  have  been  forced  to  raise  to  attend  to  the 
distribution  of  charitable  donations,  placed  under  my  con- 
trol, because  my  imperative  administrative  duties  made 
it  quite  impossible  for  me  to  carry  out  properly  the  bene- 
ficent designs  of  these  donors.  Of  this  Com.  Col,  D.  ]\I. 
Barringer  is  Chr  who  has  probably  ordered  some  of  these 
supplies  to  your  care. 

I  still  think  no  State  organization  to  counter-act  the 
malevolent  designs  of  Ilolden  and  his  faction,  can  work 
well.  Gentlemen  in  each  County  and  neighborhood  can 
best  manage  the  matter,  without  organization. 

RoCKIXGilAISr. 


From  S.  S.  Joclcson. 

PiTTSBOKO,  X.  C.  April  29tli  1S67. 

Brother  Jack  has  just  shown  me  a  letter,  that  he  has 
written  you  relative  to  my  applying  for  the  office  of  Reg- 
ister of  Bankruptcy  in  my  district.  I  am  really  conscious 
of  having  opposed  the  war  from  the  beginning  to  the  end: 
and  nothing  would  disqualify  me  from  taking  the  oath, 
excejDt  being  Clerh  and  Master  and  the  danger  of  being 
somewhat  discountenanced : — Before  I  went  further  with 
the  matter,  I  wish  to  get  your  view  of  the  matter: — rand 
if  in  your  judgment  it  would  not  be  improper,  I  would 
like  for  you  to  address  a  letter  to  Hedrick  and  ask  him  to 
intercede  and  at  an  early  day.  I  will  have  all  the  necessary 
testimonials  in  Washington  City — 


938  XoKTii  Cakoli^a  Historical  Commission. 

From  B.  S.  lied  rich. 

Washixgtox,  D.  C.  Apr.  SO,  67. 

Dr  Hawkins  has  sent  me  a  j^ass  for  my  family  to  go 
and  return  over  the  Raleigh  and  Gaston  R.  1\.  If  the 
Central  R.  R.  should  give  a  similar  pass  please  send  it  to 
Henry  C.  Thompson,  Chapel  Hill.  My  family  will  be 
in  Raleigh  Thursday  evening,  but  will  not  stop  over  as 
they  wish  to  go  on  to  Chapel  Hill. 

In  haste. 


From  David  G.  Wortli. 
WiLMi.xGTox,  X.  C.  April  30th  1867. 
Mail  facilities.  Your  letter  per  hands  of  Dr.  Jobe  was  reed  this  morn- 

ing. We  dont  think  we  could  safely  contract  to  carry  a 
tri-weekly  mail  as  the  "Govr.  Wortli"  cannot  run  on  regu- 
lar davs,  without  at  times  s'reat  inconvenience.  We  would 
willingly  carry  a  Semi-w^eekly  mail  by  the  "Host"  at  a 
fair  price.  We  now  carry  a  large  amt  of  mail  for  nothing, 
and  have  been  doing  so  for  two  years  past.  Dr.  Jobe  went 
off  on  the  Host  today  to  confer  with  the  Fayetteville  peo- 
ple and  will  decide  when  he  returns  what  to  do.  We  pro- 
posed to  him  to  carry  the  mail  for  a  short  time,  for  noth- 
ing if  necessary  to  accommodate  the  people  of  Fayette- 
ville and  surrounding  country.  He  took  the  mail  with  him 
today.  If  we  agree  to  take  it  for  nothing,  it  is  necessary 
for  some  one  take  it  in  charge,  who  can  swallow  the  iron 
clad.  We  have  no  one  on  board  who  can  do  this  except  the 
freedmen.  Capt.  Skinner  tried  it  today  l:)Ut  it  irouhhi't 
go  down — 

Have  you  ever  sent  commissions  to  Lindsay,  Waugh, 
Robbins  &  McKethan,  appointed  by  you  as  State  Direc- 
tors for  Western  R.  R.  Co. 

We  are  all  verv  well. 


COEEESPONDENCE    OF    JONATHAN    WOKTH.  039 

To  Henry  T.  Clarl: 

IxALElGH;,  A pi  -30/07. 

I  have  had  no  other  report  save  yours  expressing  the 
ojiinion  that  Registers  could  not  be  found.  You  know, 
if  you  recommend  none,  men  will  be  sent  from  the  army. 
Surely  you  can  find  some  Northern  men,  who  are  not 
mean  radicals,  if  you  can't  find  natives.  I  beg  you  to  try 
to  find  some  men  who  will  be  more  acceptable  to  your  peo- 
ple than  negroes  or  radical  Yankees.  Home  Radical  Con- 
fiscation Holden  men  are  the  most  detestable  of  all  men. 

Taeboeo. 


To  Z.  F.  Bush. 

April  30  1807. 

Yours  of  the  28th  as  also  a  previous  one  in  relation  to 
the  Sheriffalty  have  been  reed.  On  the  day  of  the  receipt 
of  your  first  I  wrote  to  Genl.  Sickles,  desiring  to  know 
whether  he  would  allow  the  Court  to  fill  the  vacancy — and 
if  so,  whether  he  would  require  the  next  incumbent  to  take 
the  teste  oath — And  if  he  desired  to  fill  the  vacancy, 
whether  he  desired  me  to  recommend  any  one — and  if,  in 
making  such  recommendation,  I  must  look  only  to  persons 
who  could  take  the  teste.  I  expressed  my  wishes  that  he 
should  leave  the  wdiole  matter  with  the  Court.  I  have  not 
yet  received  an  answer. 

You  ask  my  opinion  whether  the  oflice  is  vacant.  It 
seems  clear  to  me  that  the  Court  will  declare  it  vacant.  In 
my  opinion  you  should  have  continued  to  act  as  Shff.  until 
the  Court  should  declare  the  office  vacant — This  an  offhand 
opinion. 

If  I  did  not  answer  your  former  letter,  I  did  not  neglect 
to  attend  to  it.  It  is  impossible  for  me  to  answer  half  the 
letters  I  receive,  but  I  endeavor  to  answ^er  all  where  an 
answer  seems  necessarv.     Until  I  have  heard  from  Genl. 


940  XoETii  Carolina  Histoeical  Commission. 

Sickles  it  did  not  occur  to  me  that  my  answer  would  do 
any  good. 

AsiIEBOKO. 


To  H.  J.  Harris. 

Raleigh  A  pi  30  1SG7. 

comit°y  offices.  After  hearing  of  the  vacancy  of  the  Sheriffalty  in  Ran- 

dolph and  vacancies  of  Clerkships  in  other  Counties,  I  ad- 
dressed to  Genl.  Sickles  an  inquiry  whether  he  claimed 
the  right  to  fill  such  vacancies  or  would  leave  it  to  the 
Courts  to  fill  them — Whether  the  appointees  must  take  the 
Congressional  teste  oath — and  whether,  in  the  event  of  his 
claiming  to  fill  such  vacancies  he  desired  from  me  any  rec- 
ommendation. I  recommended  that  he  allow  our  Courts 
to  execute  our  laws  without  any  interference — and  if  he 
desired  me  to  recommend  that  he  allow  me  to  ascertain  the 
wishes  of  a  majority  of  the  justices.  I  have  not  reed  his 
answer. 

Teixity  College. 


To  H.  H.  Helper. 

Matj  2  1861. 

I  most  heartily  concur  in  the  views  expressed  in  yours 
of  the  30th  ult  and  beg  you  to  accept  my  thanks  for  your 
friendly  and  valuable  suggestions  and  will,  when  you  come 
down,  frankly  show  you  all  I  have  done  and  the  responses 
reed,  from  the  gentlemen  whose  co-operation  I  have  asked. 

I  think  I  shall  be  compelled  to  leave  here  next  Saturday 
morning  on  very  important  executive  business  and  may 
not  be  able  to  get  back  before  next  Tuesday  night.  I  am 
very  anxious  to  see  you  and  therefore  mention  this  that 
you  may  try  to  time  your  visit  so  that  I  may  see  you. 

I  am  conscious  in  this  matter  of  recommendation  of 


COKKESPONDEXCE    OF    JONATHAN    ^VoETII.  941 

Registers,  and  in  all  iiiv  conduct,  to  have  acted  solely  on 
the  elevated  motives  covering  my  position,  and  equally 
conscious  that  an  evil  genius  who  unceasingly  endeavors 
to  malign  me,  Avill  leave  nothing  undone,  which  greed  and 
malevolence  can  effect,  to  frustrate  my  efforts  to  serve  the 
State.  I  feel  therefore  greatly  gratified  at  you  at  your 
professed  co-operation  with  me  in  defeating  these  vicious 
machinations. 
Salisbury. 


To  TJiomas  S.  Kenan. 

May  2  1867. 
The  vilest  machinations  are  on  foot  to  try  to  alienate  Plans  of  the  Racu- 

•^  cals  to  control 

Genl.  Sickles  from  me  and  get  Registers  appointed  to  suit  Reconstruction. 
the  malevolent  purposes  of  bad  men  among  us.  I  am 
satisfied — at  least  have  good  reason  to  hope — that  I  shall 
be  sustained.  To  this  end  it  is  desirable  to  appoint  in 
each  County  one  or  more  U.  S.  soldiers,  or  officer  of  the 
F.s  Bureau — or  ISTorthern  man,  where  such  a  one  can  he 
found  ivlio  is  a  gentleman  not  indulging  malevolence  to- 
wards us  and  not  afflicted  with  negrophohia.  Minors  will 
be  allowed  to  act  but  should  not  be  nominated,  except  as  a 
dernier  resort. 

You  will  refer  the  R.  R.  to  me  for  their  freight  bill. 

TVEXANSVILEE. 


To  Lulie  Blachmer. 

May  2nd  1867. 

I  am  notified  of  machinations  on  foot  to  defeat  the  rati-  eif^tV'conma'^*^' 
fication  of  my  nominess  as  registers.     I  desire  only  the  Reconstruction, 
nomination  of  honest  and  competent  men.     The  scheming 
villains  who  are  trying  to  undermine  Genl.  Sickles'  confi- 
dence in  my  recommendations,  and  get  registers  appointed 
to  subserve  partizan  purposes,  will  be  much  disarmed  if 


942  XoRTii  Cakolixa  Historical  Commission. 

a  good  iiiaiiy  of  my  noiniiiations  be  Xortheru  men,  or  U. 
S.  soldiers,  now  in  service,  or  honorably  discharged — or 
officers  of  the  Freedmen's  Bureau.  There  are  in  some  of 
the  Counties  some  of  these  classes  who  are  gentlemen,  in- 
dulging no  malevolence  loicards  our  people- — and  not 
a/fJicfed  ivitli  negvophohia.  I  would  like  to  have  some  such 
men  appointed.  In  your  County  I  suggest  H.  H.  Helper 
as  one. 

S-U.TSBURY. 


To  James  L.  On: 

May  3  1867. 

apiwimmentof  ^  have  had  answers  from  a  large  number  of  Counties 

registers.  recommending  Registers.     I  have  thought  the  managers 

at  each  election  precinct,  while  registering,  could  make  the 
most  judicious  selection  of  managers.  We  have  some  1000 
election  precincts  in  this  State.  If  three  judges  of  elec- 
tion and  two  clerks  be  required  at  each  precinct,  this  will 
require  some  5000  names.  To  find  this  number  and  as- 
certain from  each  of  them  whether  he  can  take  the  teste 
oath,  would  require  much  inquiry  and  can  be  done  with 
more  facility  by  the  Registers,  while  discharging  their 
duties,  than  in  any  other  way  which  has  occurred  to  me. 
Just  as  my  agents  had  got  under  way  a  circular  w^as 
issued  by  Genl  Miles,  chief  of  the  Freedmen's  Bureau  in 
this  State,  to  his  subordinates  in  the  several  Counties,  re- 
quiring them  to  report  three  fit  men  as  registers  for  each 
County,  of  ivhom  one  must  he  a  negro — and  also  managers 
of  the  elections  at  the  several  precincts.  I  havp  not  a 
copy  before  me.  It  required  some  proportion  of  military 
and  freedman's  bureau  men.  It  does  not  purport  to  have 
been  issued  by  the  order  or  at  the  request  of  Genl.  Sickles, 
but  it  is  not  presumable  that  Genl  Miles  would  have  is- 
sued such  an  order  without  the  order  or  approval  of  Genl. 
Sickles,  and  on  this  assumption  I  do  not  know  what  con- 
struction to  put  on  it.  If  it  is  designed  to  put  Genl.  S. 
in  making  his  selection  between  my  nominations  and  those 


G0KEESP0^'DE2y■CE    OF    JoNATHAX    WoKTlI.  943 

of  Genl.  Miles,  and  if  Genl.  S.  require  some  proportion  of 
negroes  on  these  boards,  it  is  singular  that  he  did  not  inti- 
mate to  us  such  requirement.  I  sent  Genl.  S.  a  copy  of 
the  order  of  Genl.  Miles,  but  asked  for  no  explanation. 

I  have  deemed  it  my  duty  to  send  Genl.  S.  sundry  in- 
quiries of  lawyers  and  others  as  to  the  construction  of  his 
orders.  He  has  not  answered  them.  I  sent  him  a  copy 
of  Circular,  with  my  suggestion  that  the  Registers,  when 
nominated  by  him,  be  requested  to  recommend  the  man- 
agers of  the  elections.  I  have  received  no  answer  to  any 
communication  I  have  sent  him  since  I  left  Charleston. 
Holden  and  his  followers  will  do  all  that  unscrupulous 
malevolence  can  do,  to  prejudice  Genl  S.  against  me.  Is 
it  possible  they  have  effected  their  object  ?  It  is  unjust 
to  Genl  S.,  perhaps,  to  suppose  he  would  allow  any  rep- 
resentation to  operate  to  undermine  his  confidence  in  me, 
without  giving  me  an  opportunity  of  repelling  it. 

From  the  intimate  personal  relations  between  you  and 
Genl  Sickles  and  the  cordial  candor  you  have  exhibited  to- 
wards me,  I  venture'  to  ask  you  to  apprise  me,  if  you  may 
properly  do,  if  you  know  of  any  thing  wdiich  has  estranged 
Genl.  S.  from  me.  I  am  solicitous  about  this  because  to 
be  of  as  much  service  to  my  people  as  I  can  during  my 
continuance  in  office,  and  if  the  General  shall  become 
prejudiced  against  me  it  w'ill  impair  my  usefulness. 

I  believe  you  know  that  Holden  is  the  most  malignant, 
mean,  unscrupulous  Radical  the  Devil  has  raised  up  to 
afflict  our  people  and  he  pursues  me  with  increasing  malice. 

Has  the  Bureau  in  your  State  issued  orders  similar  to 
Miles'  ? 

Columbia,  S.  C. 


944  XoETii  Cakolina  Historical  Commission. 

From  Henry  T.  Clark. 

Tarboko,  X.  Caeo.  May  6th  1867. 
Appointment  of  You  inisuiiderstood  me  if  you  considered  me  as  "iviiii'' 

registers.  _  "^  C5  o 

the  opinion  that  no  one  could  be  found  in  our  County,  who 
could  take  the  oath  prescribed  for  Register.  I  should  have 
said  that  none  of  our  own  citizens,  resident  here  during 
the  War,  could  take  it.  And  I  repeat  it,  that  as  far  as  / 
know,  or  can  karn  from  enquiry,  that  not  a  single  man  re- 
siding in  Edgecomb  during  the  War  who  can  read  or  write, 
that  did  not  commit  himself  to  the  cause.  ISTot  even  John 
jSTorfiect,  M'ho  is  now  a  Radical,  and  has  the  singular  luck 
of  being  a  favorite  with  both  yourself  and  Holden,  can 
take  it  or  act  under  it. 

But  we  have  citizens  here  noiv  who  have  settled  here 
since  the  peace  (so-called),  who  are  regarded  as  good  citi- 
zens, too,  who  can  take  the  oath — from  such  I  propose  to 
select  persons  that  I  can  recommend  to  you  or  Genl. 
Sickles,  as  Register  of  Votes.  We  can  appreciate  a  man 
who  lived  north,  and  could  not  sympathize  with  our  strug- 
gle, and  even  fought  against  us.  But  a  traitor  to  his  own 
home  cant  be  trusted  or  respected.  A  northern  Radical 
is  still  our  enemy,  open,  undisguised,  unforgiving,  acting 
under  prejudices  which  were  once  natural,  or  connected 
with  his  cause,  in  some  instances,  but  in  most  cases,  ties 
of  fanaticism — -born  w^ithout  reason  and  nurtured  by  its 
own  passions.  Blood  is  its  natural  food,  and  unless  checked 
will  come  again  to  that  issue.  But  Southern  Radicals  are 
meaner,  worse,  and  utterly  devoid  of  even  a  pretence  of 
virtue — selfish,  tyrannical  and  Ismaelitish,  abandoned. 

!N"ow  Sir,  if  I  could  find  a  Southerner  in  our  midst  who 
could  take  that  oath,  he  could  not  get  a  support  here  for 
the  meanest  employment.  They  are  the  w^orst  of  Radicals, 
Polecat  sneaks. 

But  a  northern  man  with  conservative  principles  and 
views,  I  take  by  the  hand  as  a  fellow  countryman  and  place 
in  his  hands  the  affairs  of  trust. 


Cokeespo>;dexce  of  Joxatiiax   Woutji.  945 

Our  people  went  iu  unaiiimouslj  for  their  iii(le})eiideiice  ; 
tliej  failed — tliej  were  conquered,  and  they  now  submit  in 
sincerity  and  good  faith  to  their  situation — they  will  avail 
themselves  of  any  m.eans  or  o]3portunities,  .fairly  and  le- 
gally offered  them  to  hetter  their  condition,  and  are  dis- 
posed to  give  their  aid  and  assistance  where  allowed.  They 
are  yielding  with  surprising  facility  equal  rights  to  our 
colored  population,  but  they  cant  go  social  equality  yet, 
and  detest  the  hyprocrisy  of  those  who  are  encouraging  it 
for  their  selfish  views. 

Lt.  Allison  came  down  and  consulted  me  with  regard  to 
persons  he  was  instructed  to  recommend  to  the  Head  of 
Bureau  (Raleigh)  for  Register  of  Voters.  He  was  re- 
quired to  name  three  for  each  election  precinct,  one  to  be 
a  colored  man.  He  had  selected  Bennett  for  the  Rocky 
Mt.  precinct,  and  McCabe  for  this  precinct,  with  a  col- 
ored man  in  each.  He  hesitated  between  three  colored 
men  in  one  town,  Simonton,  David  Harris  and  Thomas 
I^ewton,  and  finally  selected  Harris,  a  bro  of  James  Har- 
ris— the  Speaker  of  yr  city.  The  Deportment  and  Senti- 
ments of  all  three  of  these  colored  men  seems  very  fair  and 
proper.  In  fact  we  have  been  very  fortunate  in  our  county. 
The  two  races  have  got  along  remarkably  well.  The  col- 
ored are  generally  kept  at  work.  There  have  been  few  or 
no  collisions  of  any  kind  and  apparently  they  mutually 
trust  each  other.  If  Radicalism  has  got  among  us,  it  has 
not  yet  shown  its  head. 

The  Radical  Convention  (Ral.  27  March)  attracted  no  The  Radical  cou- 
attention  here.  John  IS^orfleet  and  Col.  Knapp  were  vol- 
unteers and  self-constituted  delegates  from  Edgecombe, 
and  their  aid  and  support  of  that  conv  and  cause  is  kept 
out  of  our  view.  John  IsTorfleet  is  smart,  cool,  very  pru- 
dent, and  silent  but  feels  intensely,  and  will  always  be 
ready  when  an  opportunity  offers — a  dangerous  man  in  a 
bad  cause.  Col.  Knapp  is  an  Ex-Col  of  a  Nigger  Regi- 
ment and  an  Ex-Methodist  Preacher — boasts  more  of  his 
sense  in  the  pulpit  as  a  political  parson  than  in  the  field 
Vol.  2—19 


946  Xoirni   ("akoijxa  Historical  Commission. 

of  Battle — a  real  Yankee  in  his  politics,  his  morals  anJ 
his  feelings,  a  great  sj)eculator.  He  is  amhitioiis,  conceits 
himself  a  great  orator,  and  now  is  an  aspirant  for  Gur- 
ernor. 

These  were  the  men  who  committed  Edgecomb  to  the 
Radical  care  on  -21  ]\[arch  last — and  one  of  them  stands 
in  this  community  endorsed  by  yourself  as  well  as  Plolden. 
We  are  used  to  swallow  bitter  pills,  but  not  from  our 
friends. 

I  have  written  this  letter  to  you  on  the  frankness  of  an 
old  friend,  and  not  intended  for  your  public  files,  which 
I  hope  you  will  observe. 

I  have  written  a  second  letter  recommending  persons  to 
be  appointed  Register,  which  is  for  public  use,  to  aid  you 
in  discharge  of  a  public  duty. 

[P.  S.] — In  the  recommendation  I  only  used  the  initial 
letter  of  the  names  of  Bennett  and  Allison,  because  I  know 
only  the  name  as  they  sign  it.     I  will  send   you  the  full 
^  name  as  soon  as  I  can  learn  them. 


To  J.  n.  Osborne. 

Raleigh  Maij  0th  IS 07. 

Immediately  on  receipt  of  your  letter  of  the  1-ith  ult. 
I  asked  Genl,  Sickles  for  his  decision  on  the  case.  I  have 
reed  no  answer  save  the  general  one  in  the  form  of  a  new 
"Ordinance,"  declining  to  put  any  interpretation  upon  his 
"Ordinance,''  but  declaring  the  Courts  must  interpret. 

I  am  therefore,  unable  to  advise  you,  as  my  interpre- 
tation of  the  order  would  not  have  any  ofHciency. 

Rockingham. 


CoKKESPOxXDEXCE    OF    JoXATIIAX     Wul;'l-U,  947 

To  D.  F.  Caldicell 

Raleigh,  May  6th  1867. 
Geiil.  ISickles  assured  me  he  would  not  regard  the  con-  concerning  the 

"  punishment  for 

fining  of  a  criminal  to  labor  on  roads  etc.  by  ball  and  chain  cnmc. 
as  falling  within  the  prohibition  of  his  order.  lie  would 
regard  the  confinement  as  a  means  of  securing  the  labor 
and  not  as  a  punishment.  This  was  an  oral  assurance.  I 
sent  him  a  copy  of  our  late  acts  and  called  his  attention 
especially  to  our  late  act  for  working  our  criminals  on  the 
roads.  I  have  reed  no  reply  since  the  general  one  to  the 
])ublic  in  which  he  declines  to  give  any  interpretation  to 
his  "ordinances,"  but  refers  parties  to  our  Courts  for  their 
interpretation.  He  says  he  will  answer  inquiries  from 
our  appellate  Courts — which  Courts  during  the  continu- 
ance of  the  present  government  of  the  State  (if  it  be  as 
short  as  we  hope  for)  not  like  to  have  any  cases  to  decide, 
involving  the  solution  of  the  obscure  points  in  his  "ordi- 
nances." 

The  negro  Davis  has  escaped  from  the  military  and  is 
probably  in  Ohio  by  this  time — so  you  will  tiot  be  troubled 
further  with  him. 

I  should  have  written  you  sooner  and  more  at  length 
now,  if  incessant  pressure  of  other  duties  would  allow. 

Geeensboko. 


To  N.  K  el  SCI/. 

May  7  1867. 

Xot  being  able  to  answer  your  inquiries  satisfactorily — 
and  being  pressed  with  a  heavy  correspondence  I  have  de- 
layed answering  yours  of  the  19th  ult,  in  the  hope  of  an- 
swering more  definitely. 

I  have  good  reason  to  liope — and  to  believe  that  the 
clique  to  Avhich  you  refer  will  not  accomplish  their  object, 

I  early  addressed  Genl  Sickles  to  ascertain  what  meas- 
ures would  be  adopted  to  for  a  definite  construction  of  the 


1*48  XoRTII    CaROLIA'A    lIiaXO-RICAL    COMMISSION. 

disfranchising  features  of  the  late  re-construction  acts — 
and  am  informed  that  the  Atto.  GenL  of  the  U.  S.  is  pre- 
paring an  opinion,  which  will  appear  shortly  and  by  which 
all  the  military  commandants  will  be  g-uided. 

Genl  Sickles  requested  me  to  recommend  fit  men  for 
Registers.  I  took  measures  to  carry  out  his  request.  In 
the  interim,  the  Chief  of  the  Freedman's  Bureau  has  is- 
sued his  circular  to  his  subordinates,  requesting  them  to 
recommend  registers.  Whether  this  is  done  with  the  ap- 
proval of  Genl.  Sickles  or  not,  I  am  ignorant.  I  am  pro- 
ceeding to  collect  the  names — am  ready  to  recommend  for 
about  half  the  State  and  hope  to  be  able  to  report  for  the 
whole  State  within  the  next  two  weeks. 

Ivy. 


T-o  Major  WortJi. 

May  7  1867. 

1  am  informed  by  Ralph  Gorrell,  Esq  that  Genl.  Sickles 
has  issued  an  lL>rder  to  you,  authorising  you  to  take  into 
your  possession  all  the  effects  and  assets  of  the  Bank  of 
Lexington  and  deliver  over  to  a  receiver,  when  one  shall  be 
appointed — and  that  the  General  desires  my  recommenda- 
tion to  be  transmitted  through  you,  before  he  will  appoint 
such  receiver. 

I  think  the  most  fit  man  to  be  appointed  receiver,  is  F. 
C.  Robbins,  Clerk  and  Master  in  Equity  for  Davidson 
County. 

At  the  request  of  Mr.  Gorrell  I  address  this  communi- 
cation to  you. 

Gkeensboko. 


CoRBESPo:\'DE]S'CE  OF  Jonatha:s'  AVoktii.  949 

To  his  hr other. 

May  8  1867. 

I  accept  with  many  thanks  the  likeness  of  our  beloved 
mother.  It,  together  with  one  I  had  before,  will  be  pre- 
served and  cherished.  When  I  do  any  thing  commanding 
the  plaudits  of  good  men,  the  thought  that  my  good  mother 
is  no  longer  here  to  enjoy  it,  casts  a  shade  on  my  own 
gratification. 

You  may  well  imagine,  that  under  the  absolute  despot- 
ism, now  established  here  under  an  act  of  Congress,  en- 
forced by  military  authority,  under  the  ridiculous  pre- 
tence of  restoring  Republican  government,  I  have  a  diffi- 
cult part  to  perform,  to  preserve  any  semblance  of  dignity 
as  Governor  of  the  State.  You  will  have  learned  that  I 
have  issued  no  proclamation  and  avoided  any  commentary 
on  a  state  of  things  about  which  I  could  not  conceal  my 
disgust,  if  I  were  to  say  any  thing,  at  the  same  time  con- 
scious that  the  expression  of  any  manly  sentiment  on  my 
part,  would  deprive  my  people  of  the  little  influence  I 
now  have  to  mitigate  the  severity  of  military  despotism,  I 
would  probably  accomplish  no  good — and  might  do  mis- 
chief.    Hence  I  shall  say  or  write  little. 


To  J.  J.  JacJcmn. 

Raleigh,  May  8th  1867. 
By  way  of  encouraging  domestic  manufacture  and  giv- 
ing a  slight  token  of  kindness  to  my  children  I  have  bought 
enough  cloth  of  the  Rock  Island  Mfg.  Co.,  to  make  a  suit 
of  clothes  for  myself,  my  son,  and  each  of  my  sons-in-law, 
which  will  be  forwarded  to  them  by  the  first  convenient 
opportunity. 


950 


XoRTii  Carolina  Historical  C(jmmission. 


Feeling  towards 
the  Kaclicals. 


To  Henry  T.  Clark. 

May  9  1867. 

I  thank  you  for  nomination  of  Eegisters  for  Edgecombe, 
which  I  regard  as  very  judicious. 

I  cordially  assent  to  all  your  reasoning  as  to  lit  men 
to  fill  offices  in  North  Carolina.  You  do  not  detest  more 
than  I  do,  a  proscriptive  Southern  Radical,  and  I  regard 
yr.  remark  that  Mr.  jSTorfleet  seemed  to  enjoy  the  singular 
good  fortune  of  being  a  favorite  of  both  Holden  and  my- 
self as  pretty  severe.  I  believe  I  have  had  a  passing  in- 
troduction to  him — but  have  no  acquaintance  with  him. 
I  knew  that  in  1865  he  voted  for  Holden,  as  did  many 
good  men  from  the  idea  that  such  vote  would  please  the 
President  and  tend  to  bring  about  real  pacification.  When 
it  became  my  duty  last  year  to  appoint  directors  for  the 
R.  Rs.  I  resolved  to  continue  in  their  places  the  few  Hol- 
den men,  fit  for  their  positions,  who  had  voted  for  him 
for  expediency,  but  who  did  not  participate  in  his  malev- 
olence towards  the  great  body  of  our  people.  I  made 
special  inquiry  as  to  Mr.  Norfleet — of  more  than  one — 
the  only  one  I  can  remember,  was  Mr.  Fremont,  who  as- 
sured me  Mr.  !N"orfleet  was  not  a  real  Radical.  Mr.  Fre- 
mont and  all  others  who  approached  me,  knew  I  would 
not  appoint  to  any  position  a  real  radical — one  who  liated 
and  would  persecute  those  who  belonged  to  the  Secession 
party.  I  was  assured  Mr.  ISTorfleet  did  not  belong  to  this 
class.  His  attendance  on  the  late  Holden  Convention  sat- 
isfies me  my  friends  were  mistaken. 

Tar  u  ORG. 


To  George  Howard. 

Raleigh,  May  11  1S67. 
Appointmeut  of  I  have  good  reasou  to  believe  that  my  nominations  of 

registers. 

Registers,  made  at  the  request  of  Genl.  Sickles,  will  be 
adopted  instead  of  those  made  by  Genl.  Miles,  at  the  in- 


COKKESPOXDEXCE    OF    Jo.XATllAX     AVoUTlI.  951 

stance,  as  I  believe,  of  W.  W.  Iloldeu.  I  have  liad  an- 
swers, nominating  men  in  most  of  the  Comities.  Mr. 
Hines,  of  Wilson,  is  the  only  one  Avho  reports  that  he  can- 
not find  suitable  men  who  can  take  the  test  oath.  If  I 
fail  to  recommend,  officers  of  the  U.  S.  army,  or  nltra  radi- 
cals recommended  by  Genl  Miles  will  probably  be  ap- 
pointed. If  no  suitable  man,  who  is  a  resident  of  the 
County  can  be  found,  I  am  authorised  to  nominate  men 
from  some  other  County.  I  wish  you  would  co-operate 
with  Mr.  Hines  and  recommend  at  an  early  day  three 
men.  If  there  be  no  Xorthern  man,  settled  in  Wilson  who 
is  net  a  radical,  would  it  not  be  well  to  nominate  some 
fair  minded  Quakers  from  some  other  Counties  rather 
than  have  a  negro  and  two  ultra  radicals  ? 

I  specially  asked  Genl.  Sickles,  in  case  of  being  unable 
to  find  registers  in  any  County,  not  wulling  to  take  the 
teste  oath,  whether  Quakers,  from  some  other  Counties, 
would  not  be  acceptable  to  him.  He  said  they  would.  I 
suppose  worthy  members  of  this  specific  people,  would  be 
less  odious  and  more  likely  to  act  justly,  than  foreign  radi- 
cals. 

Tarboi;o. 


To  A.  M.  TomJlnsoii. 

Raleigh  May  15  1S67. 

Yours  of  the   10th  inst.  was  received   yesterday  even- R^^jefof  the 
ing's  mail. 

Finding  it  impossible  to  attend  to  the  proper  dispensa- 
tion of  the  donations  committed  to  my  charge  for  the  use 
of  the  indigent  of  this  State,  I  obtained  the  consent  of  D. 
M.  Barringer  and  the  ministers  of  the  four  principal 
churches  in  this  city,  to  take  the  labor  off  my  hands.  All 
that  has  been  committed  to  my  charge,  they  have  control 
over.     I  will  turn  over  your  letter  to  them. 

In  obedience  to  a  resolution  of  the  Geid.  Assembly  last 


952  XoRTH  Carolina  Historical  Commission. 

winter,  I  sent  a  eivculai-  to  the  Cliairnian  of  the  Warden 
Court  of  every  County  in  the  State,  asking  for  informa- 
tion as  to  the  extent  of  destitution  which  the  County  could 
not  relieve.  A  nundDcr  reported  that  they  needed  no  aid. 
Some  20  counties  asked  for  more  or  less  help ;  and  to 
these  has  been  sent  what  was  committed  to  my  charge. 
Much  the  larger  number  (including  Randolph)  made  no 
report.  It  was  presumed  that  the  Counties  making  no 
report  needed  no  assistance.  Hence  Randolph,  as  you 
say,  ''has  been  overlooked".  Xothing  can  be  more  em- 
barrassing than  the  distribution  of  a  bounty,  inadequate 
to  the  wants  of  all,  throughout  the  State.  There  has  been 
neither  carelessness  nor  improper  discrimination  in  the 
distribution  of  this  bounty — but  for  want  of  proper  in- 
formation, I  do  not  doubt  that  the  more  unfortunate  have 
got  too  much  and  the  more  modest  and  needy  have  often 
been  "overlooked."  If  Randolph  has  been  overlooked  it 
must  be  attributed  to  the  failure  of  the  authorities  to  re- 
port its  needs.  If  any  body  supposes  that  the  [illegible] 
of  a  majority  of  its  people  [illegihle']  and  the  malevolence 
which  they  have  sho^^oi  towards  me  have  in  this  matter 
had  the  slightest  influence,  such  person  does  not  under- 
stand me.  My  sole  object  has  been  to  distribute  the  dona- 
tions confided  to  my  discretion  where  there  ivas  the  most 
urgent  ivant.  I  have  referred  your  letter  to  the  gentlemen 
above  indicated  with  my  endorsement  that  your  repre- 
sentations are  entitled  to  implicit  confidence. 
T^usH  Hill. 


I 
I 


I 


From  M.  McRae. 

Shoe  Heel  Robeson  Co.,  May  16th  1867. 
Concerning  James       J  \i2i\e  concludcd  uot  merelv  ou  mv  own  account  or  per- 

Smclair.  ■  "  '■ 

sonal  knowledge  and  observation  of  wrongs  but  from  the 
complaint  and  suggestions  of  other  good  and  influential 
citizens  to  bring  to  your  notice  grieviances  and  annoyances 


COEKESPO.XDE^'CE    OF    JoJS'ATIIAX     WoKTU.  953 

under  which  we  ar^  suffering. — hoping  that  by  your  medi- 
ation we  may  obtain  redress  at  the  hands  of  the  powers 
that  be,  or  in  other  -vords  we  wish  to  appeal  through  you 
to  Gen.  Sickles  and  ask  him  for  sake  of  peace,  harmony 
and  humanity  to  do  something  for  a  people  who  are  dis- 
posed to  be  as  loyal  and  law  abiding  as  any  people  from 
Maine  to  Texas.  But  we  are  now  disturbed  by  a  ijestilent 
fellow  whom  if  you  do  not  know  personally  you  perha])S 
know  from  reputation  by  the  name  of  James  Sinclair — 
Col.  Sinclair — or  the  fighting  Parson.  He  has  now  got 
to  be  one  of  the  blackest  radicals  in  the  country  and  for 
some  time  now  he  has  been  causing  the  negroes  to  assemble 
in  large  crowds  to  hear  his  speeches  which  are  quite  in- 
cendiary in  their  character  tending  to  alienate  the  blacks 
and  the  whites. 

We  have  been  getting  along  very  well  in  this  section  up 
to  this  time  both  whites  and  blacks  but  now  in  consequence 
of  his  interference  and  constant  harangues  the  blacks 
and  whites  both  are  more  or  less  excited — he  is  a  man  of 
the  very  lowest  character  and  perfectly  destitute  of  all 
principle.  I  heard  him  in  a  speech  the  other  day  say  that 
his  portion  was  now  that  of  the  negroes  and  that  it  was 
to  his  interest  to  make  the  best  of  it  he  could — he  also 
advises  the  negro  to  vote  the  Radical  ticket  and  that  by 
so  doing  they  will  secure  confiscation  and  a  division  of 
the  lands  or  something  like  that — and  I  understand  in 
more  ignorant  crowds  he  tells  them  not  to  list  the  taxes 
and  as  one  of  the  list-takers,  I  find  considerable  apathy 
among  the  colored  people  and  but  very  few  of  them  have 
listed  owing  to  a  great  extent  to  his  teaching. 

He  had  at  Shoe  Heel  on  last  Saturday  where  I  heard 
him  speak  other  free  negroes  who  made  quite  incendiary 
speeches  to  a  very  large  assembly  of  blacks  one  of  whom 
in  speaking  of  the  rights  of  the  negro  said  that  the  minds 
of  many  whites  both  Xorth  and  South  had  been  perplexed 
as  to  what  they  would  do  with  the  negro  but  before  ten 
years  he  said  the  question  would  be  what  would  the  negro 


954  XoRTPi  Carolina  Histokical  Commissiox. 

do  with  the  Southern  white  man — he  further  said  that 
the  negro  should  staud  up  for  his  rights  at  all  hazard  that 
the  negro  shoukl  not  leave  the  countrv  and  the  whites  could 
not  do  without  them  that  a  gentleman  near  Wilmington 
had  made  the  experiment  of  foreign  emigrants  to  the  ex- 
elusion  of  the  negro  and  that  soon  his  premises  were  re- 
duced to  ashes — as  much  as  to  say  the  negro  was  entitled 
to  the  labor,  and  would  have  it.  The  Southern  })eople  were 
very  much  ridiculed  and  denounced  as  cowards.  This  is 
but  a  brief  synopsis  of  what  was  said  and  in  fact  it  was 
almost  intolerable  to  bear  and  if  something  is  not  done 
to  prevent  such  and  stop  such  men  from  traveling  over 
the  country  calling  the  laboring  class  from  their  labor 
and  thereby  retarding  what  little  progress  we  have  been 
making  the  country  will  soon  be  in  a  more  horrible  con- 
dition than  it  is  now,  we  can't  make  cro])S  or  anything  else 
if  these  miserable  vagabonds  who  have  nothing  to  do 
themselves  are  permitted  to  disturb  and  harrass  the  in- 
dustrious hard  Avorking  man — one  of  the  speakers  said 
he  would  not  advise  them  to  steal  something  to  eat  but 
if  they  were  needy  they  ought  to  get  it  (that  is  steal  it). 

Xow  Gov.  if  it  is  in  your  power  to  do  anything  in  this 
matter  I  hope  you  will  go  to  work  especially  in  regard  to 
the  poor  miseralde  devil — Sinclair.  Please  let  me  hear 
from  you. 

I  am  truly  yours  with  high  consideration 

[P.  S.] — Address  me  at  Shoe  Heel  Eobeson  County, 
X.  C. 


To  B.  S.  Gaithcr, 

May  16  1867. 

Concerning  Your  letters  as  to  registers  for  Burke  embarrases  me. 

appointment  of  i        r»  t^     n  it  i    ^        ^       ,  i         ^i 

registers.  1  ou  spcak  01  two   L .  S.  soldiers  as     the  best  under  the 

circumstances"  but  do  not  give  their  names.     The  action 
of  the  Freedmen's  Bureau,  I  presume,  is  officious,  and 


COEKESPONDEXCE    OF    JONATHAN    WOKTII.  955 

I  have  reason  to  hope  my  nominations  will  be  adopted. 
Make  the  best  nominations  you  can  conformably  to  my 
suggestion  in  my  order  of  the  20th  Apl.  My  instructions 
do  not  require  a  negro  in  the  board.  Select  your  men  with 
the  sole  view  of  their  fitness  and  qualification,  and  in  con- 
formity with  the  directions  of  my  circular,  a  copy  of 
which  was  sent  to  Genl.  Sickles  immediately  after  its  is- 
sue. The  most  villainous  machinations  are  on  foot  to 
defeat  my  nominations.  These  machinations  will  fail  if 
my  agents  nominate,  as  they  generally  have,  unexception- 
able men. 

I  have  definite  recommendations  from  Yancey  and  Cur- 
rituck— but  cannot  report  for  want  of  reports  from  a  few 
Counties  much  nearer  the  seat  of  government. 

I  hope  you  wall  report  promptly,  distinctly  recommend- 
ing registers — or  declaring  your  inability  to  do  so.  Xo 
agent  has  reported  his  inability  to  find  men  wdiom  he  could 
recommend. 

Surely  you  can  find  three  honorable  men — natives  or 
foreigners — who  can  take  the  oath  and  who  would  im- 
partially perform  their  duty.  If  such  cannot  be  found  ni 
the  County,  it  is  better  to  recommend  somebody  out  of  it, 
rather  than  make  no  recommendation — and  thereby  leave 
the  matter  to  malevolent  partizans. 

MOEGANTON. 


To  C.  A.  Cllleij. 


Mail  16  ISO: 


Yours  of  the  10th  inst.  is  received. 

A  mystery  hangs  over  the  circular  of  Genl.  Miles.  Im- 
mediately upon  its  issue  I  sent  a  copy  of  it  to  Genl.  Sickles, 
without  inquiry  or  comment.  He  has  made  no  remarks  on 
it  to  me.  Whether  it  was  issued  at  his  instance  or  wntli  his 
knowledge  I  am  ignorant — but  I  have  pretty  strong  rea- 
son to  believe  it  was  done  without  his  concurrence — or  as  a 


956  XoKTir  Carot.txa  IIistoeical  Commission. 

shield  against  radical  abuse, — and  that  my  recommenda- 
tions will  be  generally  adopted. 

Genl.  Sickles  has  not  indicated  to  me  his  wish  that  any 
negroes  should  be  appointed  registers — but  his  silence 
since  the  issue  of  Genl.  Miles'  circular  is  a  mystery, 

Lexoir. 


Bl'keau  of  E.  F.  &  A.  L. 
IvixsTox  Lexoir  Co.,  X.  C. 

May  16th  1S67. 
Maj.  Gex.  X.  A.  Miles 

AssT.  Come.  Bu.  E.  F.  &  A.  L. 
Ealeigh  X.  C. 
Gexeral 
Concerning  a  peti-       I  have  the  lionor  to  State  that  a  petition   has    been  for- 

tion  for  a  special  ^ 

term  of  court.  warded  from  this  County  to  His  Excellency  Gov.  Worth, 
praying  for  an  order  to  hold  an  extra  session  of  the  Supe- 
rior Court  in  this  County.  This  petition  was  based  upon 
the  fact,  that  the  county  now  being  overrun  with  criminals 
of  every  grade,  who  bid  defiance  to  all  law,  and  in  fact  con- 
trol the  interests  and  destiny  of  the  County.  Our  jail  is 
flooded  with  them,  while  many  of  the  worst  are  still  at 
large.  Murder,  arson,  burglary,  highway  robbery  and  lar- 
ceny seems  to  be  the  rule  and  owing  to  the  impoverished 
condition  of  the  people,  and  the  wide  spread  influence  of 
these  scoundrels  the  law  is  impotent  to  protect  the  property 
or  even  the  lives  of  the  citizens.  That  petition  would  have 
my  signature  most  cordially,  as  I  know  their  great  need, 
but  I  have  thought  that  I  could  better  subserve  the  ends 
of  justice,  by  addressing  you,  and  with  that  in  view,  I  re- 
spectfully petition  your  co-operation  with  His  Excellency 
in  trying  to  protect  the  people. 

I  would  respectfully  state,  that  the  jail  is  insecure  and 
insufficient  and  I  have  every  reason  to  believe,  that  a  des- 
perate attempt  is  being  concocted  to  liberate  those  who  are 
there  conflned,  by  desperadoes  not  yet  arrested. 


CoRKESPONDEXCE    OF    JoXATIlAX    WoKTII.  957 

It  is  believed  and  I  am  well  aware  that  there  are  three 
gangs  of  "Kegiilators"  in  this  and  the  adjoining  counties 
viz:  one  of  whites,  one  of  blacks,  and  the  third  (and  by 
far  the  worst)   is  made  np  of  both  whites  and  blacks. 

There  being  no  jail  in  Jones  Co.  the  prisoners  from  that 
county  are  sent  here,  and  that  county  is  overrun  with 
'"Regulators." 

I  would  respectfully  state,  General,  that  if  something  is 
not  done  speedily,  earnestly  and  effectually  to  suppress 
these  high  handed  outrages  and  bring  the  offenders  to 
speedy  trial,  where  unrelenting  justice  may  be  dealt  out, 
the  county  in  this  section  at  least  is  ruined. 

The  people  have  become  intimidated  by  this  high  handed 
lawlessness,  and  dare  not  speak  of  a  crime,  even  where 
they  know  the  perpetrators.  To  do  so,  would  be  at  the 
risk  of  a  robbery,  an  arson  or  their  lives. 

These  matters  are  vividly  manifest  to  me,  and  for  that 
reason  I  urgently,  but  very  respectfully  petition  in  behalf 
of  the  citizens  of  this  County  your  co-operation  with  His 
Excellency  the  Governor. 
I  have  the  honor  to  remain 
Very  Respectfully 

Your  Obt.  Servant 

(Signed)  H.  H.  Foster 

Brvt.  Maj.  IT.  S.  Vols. 
Asst.  Supt.  Bu.  R.  F.  &  A.  L. 
True  Copy. 

(Signed)  Jacob  F.  Chub 

Brvt.  Lieut.  Colonel 
A.  A.  A.  General 


To  P.  Durham. 


May  IS  1867. 


Yours  of  the  15th  inst.  is  reed. 

You  state  that  the  patient,  Kindnask,   (as  I  read  it") 
was  regularly  sent  to  the  L.  Asylum  as  a  State  patient.  I 


958  XoRTii  Caeolixa  Historical  Commission'. 

suppose  you  mean  as  an  indigent  patient,  ehargeal)le  to  the 
County. 

If  this  be  the  case  the  justices  of  your  Court  were  bound, 
as  I  understand  the  law,  to  impose  a  tax  for  his  support, 
and  their  omission  to  do  so  is  made  convictable  by  special 
statute. 

I  think  there  is  no  obscurity  in  the  law  as  to  the  Luna- 
tick  Asylum.  The  Court  cannot  legally  refuse  to  impose 
a  tax  to  pay  for  the  suj^port  of  a  patient,  legally  sent  to 
the  Asylum,  as  a  County  patient,  even  if  he  himself  were 
a  man  of  wealth.  The  law  has  left  it  to  the  committing 
Magistrates,  with  no  appellate  tribunal,  to  decide  who  is 
a  fit  subject  to  be  sent  to  this  institution  at  the  charge  of 
the  County.  This  is  my  individual  opinion.  I  have  no 
more  authority  to  construe  the  statutes  touching  the  Asy- 
lum, than  I  have  as  to  any  other  Statute.  What  I  have 
written  must  be  taken  as  the  o])inion  of  a  quondam  lawyer. 

Shelby. 


To  General  Nelson  A.  Miles. 

May  18  1867. 
Arrest  of  D.G.  J  recd  last  uiglit  from  D.  G.  McRae,  from  Goldsboro,  a 

McRae.  ^  '  _  _  ' 

letter  informing  me  that  he  was  under  military  arrest, 
being  in  custody  and  on  his  way  to  Ft.  Macon  "for  some- 
thing which  had  not  been  made  known  to  me"  (him).  He 
says  he  is  informed  you  issued  the  order  of  arrest,  and 
requests  me  to  ascertain  from  you  the  specific  charge 
against  him  and  to  forward  it  to  a  lawyer  whom  he  desig- 
nates and  whom,  I  infer,  he  has  retained  to  defend  him. 
If  the  information  he  seeks  be  such  as  you  may  be  able 
and  willing  to  furnish  me,  I  will  forward,  as  requested  by 
Mr.  McRae,  who  has  always  borne  the  name  of  a  law- 
abiding  citizen. 

Raleigh. 


CORRESPOKDENCE    OF    JoXATIIAX    WoRTII.  950 

To  J .  (J.  Spencer. 

May  18  1867. 

Finding-  it  quite  impossible  to  attend  to  the  charaties  desijfute*^^ 
committed  to  my  charge  for  the  relief  of  our  people,  I  got 
the  consent  of  Hon.  D.  M.  Barringer  and  the  four  clergy- 
men of  the  chief  denominations  of  this  city,  to  relieve  me 
from  this  duty.  I  learn  that  a  supply  has  been  sent  for 
Montgomery.  I  mentioned  Locky  Simmons  as  one  man 
suitable  to  distribute  it — and  think  they  nominated  Mr. 
Jordan,  because  he  was  the  late  member  of  Assembly  from 
that  County,  as  the  other.  I  will  refer  your  letter  for 
more  specific  answer. 

Saltsbury. 


To  Thomas  Settle.^ 

Executive  Dept. 
Ealeigh,  May  20  1867. 
You  will  have  heard  that  Henderson  Cooper,  (of  color)  case  of  Henderson 

1  1       1      1         /-  o  -r  Cooper. 

convicted  as  accessory  to  a  rape  on  the  body  oi  busan  J  ane 
Daniels  in  Greenville — sentenced  to  be  hanged — escaped — 
re-captured  and  sentence  re-afSrmed — was  taken  into  cus- 
tody by  order  of  Genl.  Sickles  and  a  military  tribunal  or- 
ganised to  inquire  into  the  fairness  of  his  trial,  etc. 
I  am  furnished  by  Genl.   Sickles    with  a  copy    of  Col. 


'  Thns.  Settle,  of  Rockingham,  prior  to  the  war  was  a  Democrat  and 
later  a  Whig.  He  was  a  member  of  the  legislature  from  1854  to  1859, 
and  at  the  latter  session  was  Speaker  of  the  House.  He  was  for  a 
short  time  a  captain  in  the  Confederate  service,  but  resigned  to  be- 
come Solicitor  of  the  4th  District  He  was  a  member  of  the  conven- 
tion and  legislature  of  1865,  and  was  Speaker  of  the  Senate  in  the 
latter  body.  In  1868  he  was  elected  as  a  Republican  a  Justice  of  the 
Sujn-eme  Court.  In  1871  he  became  Minister  to  Peru  but  soon  re- 
signed. He  was  President  of  the  Republican  National  Convention  of 
1872;  he  was  then  appointed  to  the  State  Supreme  Court  but  re- 
signed in  1876  to  run  for  governor,  and  was  defeated  by  Z.  B.  Varice. 
President  Hayes,  in  1877,  made  him  U.  S.  Judge  for  the  Northern 
District  of  Florida. 


960  XoRTii  Carolixa  TTistorical  Commission. 

Bomford's  report  (a  copy  of  wliich  I  inclose)  but  am  not 
furnished  with  any  of  the  evidence  taken  by  said  commiri- 
sion,  with  reference  to  Genl.    Sickles,  in    the    following 
words  '^ Respectfully  referred  to  his  Excellency  J.  Worth, 
Gov.  of  X.  C.  for  his  consideration  and  remarks — 
By  command  of  Genl.  D.  E.  Sickles." 
I  will  be  obliged  to  you  for  such  information  as  you  can 
give  me  touching  on  the  fairness  of  the  trial,  and  your  con- 
victions as  to  the  guilt  or  innocence  of  the  prisoner. 
Wentwortii. 


To  A.  8.  McXeill 

Raleigh,  May  21/67. 
Appointment  of  I  thank  you  for  your  letter  relating:  to  claim  of  Jno. 

McjSTeill's  estate  vs  the  County  of  Harnett  and  recommend- 
ing registers  for  your  County. 

I  cannot  at  this  moment  lay  my  hands  on  the  papers 
enabling  me  to  state  with  precision  the  amount  of  interest 
due  on  this  claim,  but  you  can  reach  it  with  exact  accuracy 
in  the  judg-t  of  your  Supr.  Court  and  my  petition  for  a 
mandamus.  I  trust  the  Court  will  pay  the  interest  and 
2-^  per  cent  commission  which  was  due  to  Jno.  McXeill 
more  than  seven  years  ago,  under  their  orders. 

You  are  right  in  not  nominating  any  negi'oes.  I  have 
no  idea  of  being  the  instrument  of  carrying  out  so  absurd 
a  proposition.  I  decline  to  nominate  negToes,  not  because 
they  are  negToes,  but  because  they  are  incompetent  to  dis- 
charge the  duties. 

I  have  reason  to  believe  this  movement  of  the  freedmen's 
bureau  had  its  origin  with  a  base  party  among  us  and  that 
it  will  not  be  countenanced  bv  Genl  Sickles. 


COREESPOXDENCE    OF    JOXATIIAN    ^YoRTH.  901 

To  Dr.  Samuel  A.  WilHains. 

May  21  1807. 
Yuii  will  have  heard  that  Henderson  [Couperl  of  color,  Case  of  Henderson 

'-'-■'  •'  Coojier. 

convicted  of  rape  at  Spring  Term  1865,  of  Granville  Supr. 
Court,  was  taken  some  weeks  ago,  by  order  of  Genl. 
Sickles,  from  the  civil  authorities  and  a  military  connuis- 
sion  appointed  to  inquire  into  the  fairness  of  tlu^  trial  by 
which  he  was  convicted.  The  report  of  that  commission 
is  submitted  to  me  by  Genl.  Sickles  for  my  remarks.  This 
report,  which  gives  me  all  the  information  I  have  had  by 
report  or  otherwise,  as  to  the  evidence  adduced  on  the 
trial,  carries  with  it  internal  evidence,  that  the  commis- 
sion, from  ignorance  or  prejudice,  have  not  made  a  report 
entitled  to  respect.  On  inquiry  of  an  intelligent  gentle- 
man from  your  neighborhood,  yesterday,  he  infoi-med  me 
that  after  the  condemnation  the  criminal  made  voluntary 
confessions  to  you  as  to  his  participation  in  the  crime.  I 
respectfully  ask  of  you,  at  your  earliest  convenience,  a 
statement  of  Avriting  of  any  confession  or  statement  made 
to  you  by  the  prisoner — under  what  inducements  such  con- 
fessions were  made — and  any  other  facts  within  your 
knowledge  tending  to  establish  the  guilt  or  innocence  of 
this  prisoner. 

Do  you  knoAv  at  what  distance  from  Oxford  the  prose- 
cutrix resided  when  the  said  military  commission  sat  in 
Oxford  and  whether  any  effort  was  made  to  have  her  be- 
fore the  commission  and  her  testimony  taken  ? 

Oxford. 


To  M.  McRae. 

May  22  1S67. 
I  can  do  nothing  to  relieve  you  from  that  evil  sinrit —  in  regard  to 

.-ir-T-  Tc    -r  'i  T  1    •  •  James  Sinclair. 

tne  lighting  parson.  11  1  could  succeed  in  procuring,  a 
military  order  restraining  the  evil  spirit  from  mischief,  it 
would  raise  a  clamor  throughout  the  land.     The  only  prac- 

Vol.  2—20 


962  XoKTH  Carolina  Histoeical  Commission. 

ticable  i-cincdv  I  can  suggest,  is  the  getting  of  honest  ne- 
groes to  reply  to  him — and  if  he  use  incendiary  language 
for  his  hearers  to  report  it  direct — and  not  through  the 
Govr. — to  Genl  Sickles.  The  former  I  regard  as  the  bet- 
ter remedy. 
8 HOE  Heel. 


To  (ieiicrnl  Daniel  E.  Siclrlrs. 

May  22  18G1. 

'S^rT"''^  "*  I  ^i"i  prepared  to  recommend  Eegisters  for  about  TO  of 

the  SO  counties  of  this  State,  whom  I  believe  are  of  such 
exemplary  character  that  they  will  give  satisfaction  to  the 
gTeat  body  of  our  people,  white  and  black — and  hope 
shortly  to  be  prepared  to  recommend  for  the  remainder  of 
the  counties.  I  therefore  asked  you  whether  you  desired 
me  to  report  before  I  was  prepared  to  report  for  all  the 
counties.  Having  reed  no  answer,  I  now  report  the  ma- 
jority. As  you  may  desire  to  make  inquiries  of  others  as 
to  the  fitness  of  my  nominees,  and  it  may  be  some  tAvo  or 
three  w'eeks  before  I  can  make  n]i  my  report  for  all  of  the 
counties,  I  will  make  a  partial  rejiort  whenever  you  may 
request  it. 

The  delay  as  to  some  of  the  counties  springs  from  the 
difficulty  and  uncertainty  of  the  mails.  Tn  many  counties 
after  the  issue  of  Genl.  Miles'  Circular  my  agents  inferred 
that  your  request  to  me  to  nominate  Registers  had  been  re- 
voked, and  took  no  action  till  re-instructed  to  do  so. 

I  have  the  honor  to  be 

Charleston,  S.  C. 


To  Jesse  Warden. 

May  22  1867. 
caseofToiar,  In  a  correspondence  I  am  having  with  Genl,    Sickles, 

McRae,  etc.  .  ^    .  " 

touching  the  seizure  of  Capt.   Tolar,  D.   G.  McRae  and 


COEKESPONDENCE    OF    JoXATHAX    WoKTH.  0G3 

Mark  Pliillip?.  it  is  (lcsiral)le  for  iiie  to  have  a  <'o])y  of  uii 
Indictment  which  I  am  informed  was  found  at  the  late 
term  of  yr.  Snpr.  Court '  against  Capt.  Tolar, — and  your 
certificate  as  to  whether  it  was  found  after  a  presentment 
by  the  grand  jury — or  upon  the  application  of  a  prose- 
cutor and  also  on  what  day  such  hill  was  found. 

FAYETTEyiLLE. 


To  B.  Sfiroir/c. 

May  22  1S07. 

Although  materially  indisposed,  I  went  to-day  in  person  •^•'■'ei^t  of  McRae. 
to  see  Genl.  Miles.  He  says  he  has  no  authority  to  re- 
lease Mr.  McRae.  I  haye  written  to  Genl.  Sickles  remon- 
strating against  arrests  upon  ex  parte  statements  and 
without  any  preliminary  hearing — representing  the  good 
character  of  McRae  and  asking  him  to  order  his  release 
on  his  parol — and  calling  his  attention  to  the  fact  that 
a  Military  Commission  was  ordered  for  the  trial  of  these 
parties  before  it  was  possible  that  the  Court,  haying  juris- 
diction, could  act.  This  is  far  from  the  first  instance 
where  Genl,  Ayery  has  exhibited  alacrity  in  preferring  un- 
just charges  against  our  Courts — but  it  is  a  little  the  most 
bald  case. 

I  leam  from  Genl.  Miles  that  Genl.  Ayery  has  drawn  up 
his  specifications.  If  I  am  furnished  a  copy,  which  I  re- 
quested, I  w411  forward  it  to  you — And  will  from  time  to 
time,  keep  you  posted  as  to  the  Avhole  matter,  so  far  as  I 
can. 

[P.  S.] — I  am  at  my  residence.  I  will  send  you  a  copy 
of  my  letter  to  Genl.  Sickles  tomorrow,  if  I  can  remem- 
ber it  in  the  multitude  of  my  cares. 

WiL:\rTXGTOx. 


From  ^Y.  F.  Leal'. 
RocKixGHA]\r,  Richmond  Co.  ]\fay  23/67. 
I  do  not  know  that  the  "military  authorities^'  will  see  fXi  LelU'Jfe.''^ 


964  XoKTii  Carolina  Histokical  Commission. 

proper  to  interfere  to  remedv  the  evil  of  which  we  eoiii- 
[)htiii,  yet  nevertheless  1  feel  it  due  to  myself,  as  well  as 
to  others  who  have  solicited  me,  to  make  known  throiii>li 
yon  and  to  those  in  command  of  the  existence  of  an  evil 
in  our  midst,  which  if  compatible  in  their  views  of  pro- 
priety, ought  at  once  to  he  checked. 

I  allude  to  the  secret  societies,  now  forming-  by  the  free 
blacks  in  every  section  of  this  County. 

There  are  now  in  onr  midst  a  couple  of  Freednien,  one 
of  whom  would  have  passed  as  a  white  man.  did  he  not 
tell  his  audience  that  he  was  a  freed  man)  who  are  con- 
stantly engaged  in  administering  secret  oaths  to  the  '"freed- 
nien" and  forming  secret  societies. 

To  so  gi'eat  an  extent  is  this  done  that  it  has  lately 
created  no  little  alarm  among  the  people  and  particularly 
among  the  female  portion  of  the  whites,  and  the  more  so 
for  the  reason,  that  the  law-abiding  white  men  do  not  pre- 
tend to  wear  fire  arms,  to  protect  themselves  against  any 
sudden  outbreak  of  the  Blacks  whereas  the  "freed  ne- 
groes'', at  least  \,  are  ivelJ  armed  with  pistols,  Buie  knives, 
etc. 

An  order  from  Gen.  Sickles  would  at  once  put  a  stop 
to  it,  which  we  think  with  due  deference  should  be  done. 


To  J.  E.  Bulla.' 

May  2J^  1S67. 
Concerning  vacan-       On  the  reference  of  vo)ir  memorial  to  me  touching  your 

cies  in  county  '  i    i    i       t 

offices.  difficulty  as  to  supposed  vacancy  of  Shif.  in  Randolph,  1 

addressed  to  Genl.  Sickles  a  reply,  a  copy  of  which  is 
herewith  inclosed.  He  has  returned  my  letter  with  the 
following  endorsement.  '^Respectfully  returned.  It  is 
the  desire  of  the  commanding  Genl.  whenever  he  can  do 
so,  with  just  reliance  upon  the  discreet  and  importial  exer- 
cise of  the  power,  to  remit  to  provisional  authorities  such 
power  of  appointment,  as  by  writing  laws,  they  may  exer- 


iThe  County  Attorney  of  Randolph. 


COEKESPONDEKCE    OF    Joi^ATHAN    WoRTH,  965 

cise,  subject  to  the  condition  imposed  by  Sec.  G  of  "the  act 
to  provide  for  tlie  more  efficient  government  of  the  Confed- 
erate States/'  passed  Mar.  2/67,  that  no  person  is  eligible 
to  otfice  who  would  be  disqualified  under  the  provisions  of 
the  3rd  article  of  the  constitutional  amendment.  It  is 
necessary  therefore  that  all  persons,  so  appointed,  should 
in  addition  to  such  oath  or  oaths  of  office  as  may  be  re- 
quired by  iSTorth  Carolina,  take  and  subscribe  the  oath  of 
office — proscribed  in  Sec.  1  of  the  Act  supplementary  to 
the  act  last  mentioned,  passed  Mar.  23/67.  A  duplicate 
copy  of  said  oath  of  office,  duly  subscribed  and  attested, 
to  be  forwarded  to  the  head-quarters  through  the  com- 
manding officer  of  the  military  post  within  which  the  ap- 
pointment is  made.  These  papers  to  be  returned  with  ac- 
tion noted." 

I  shall  endorse  on  these  papers  and  return  them  as  fol- 
lows. ''A  copy  of  the  written  letter  to  you,  of  the  10th 
inst.  and  a  copy  of  your  endorsement  thereon,  are  this 
24  May,  sent  to  the  County  Att.  of  Randolph,  with  my 
request  that  he  furnish  me  with  a  copy  of  the  proceedings 
of  the  Court,  touching  the  matter,  at  May  Term,  1867." 

I  desire  that  you  furnish  me  such  copy  of  record  with- 
out delay,  with  any  remarks  you  may  deem  it  expedient 
to  submit. 

ASHEBOEO. 


To  B.  C.  Holmes. 

Ealeigh.  Maj/  SJ^/GT. 
I  found  it  altogether  incompatible  with  my  official  ^^'^|^f,°^^"^*^ 
duties,  to  attend  to  the  judicious  distribution  and  the  cor- 
respondence, as  to  the  donations  of  Maryland  and  be- 
nevolent Northern  associations,  for  the  relief  of  the  South- 
ern people,  and  obtained  the  consent  of  Col.  D.  M.  Bar- 
ringer  and  the  chief  clergymen  of  this  city  to  attend  to 
the  same  for  me.     ISTearlv  all  which  has  been  confided  to 


966  XoRTH  Carolixa  Histokical  Co:mmission. 

me  has  been  (listril)iite(I  to  points  where  the  greatest  des- 
tituiicii  was  li(li(V('(l  to  exist.  I  have  referred  your  let- 
ter to  the  above  mentioned  eommission,  wlio  will  send  you 
some  aid,  or  ex])lain,  if  they  do  not.  I  thank  you  for  the 
expression  of  your  approval  of  my  efforts  to  nnike  the 
condition  of  our  people  as  tolerable  as  possible.  God 
knows  I  have  done  my  best  for  the  welfare  of  ISTorth  Car- 
olina— and  next  to  the  approval  of  my  own  conscience,  I 
would  be  gratified  with  the  approbation  of  the  people  who 
have  selected  me  as  their  Chief  ^Magistrate  at  this  trying 
j)eriod  of  our  history. 
Clinton. 


To  E.  Iluhl). 

Ealeigh,  May  2Jf/G7. 

deituu'te!'^''  Some  weeks  ago  donations  for  the  relief  of  our  starving 

people  were  sent  to  Col.  Bomford  and  myself,  from  benevo- 
lent societies  in  New  York  and  Phila.  The  amount, 
though  eminently  creditable  to  the  sources,  was  merely 
nominal,  in  reference  to  the  destitution.  We  sent  it  at 
once  to  a  few  counties  where  a  local  drought  last  summer, 
made  stars^ation  inevitable  without  aid  from  abroad.  Since 
then  $500.  in  money  from  California  and  a  large  quan- 
tity of  bacon  and  corn  was  sent  to  me  by  Maryland.  Find- 
ing it  quite  impossible,  consistent  with  official  duties,  to 
attend  to  the  proper  distribution  of  these  donations  and 
the  extensive  correspondence  growing  out  of  it,  I  obtained 
the  consent  of  D.  M.  Barringer  and  the  four  chief  clergy- 
men of  this  city,  to  relieve  me  from  this  labor.  I  under- 
stand from  them  that  nearly  all  has  been  distributed  to 
the  points  M'here  greatest  destitution  existed,  according 
to  the  best  information  they  could  obtain.  I  have  sent 
your  letter  to  the  commission  who  will  reply  further 
thereto. 

I  am  not  informed  whether  other  sup)plies  will  be  sent 


Correspondence  of  Jonathan   Woktii.  967 

to  my  care.  I  luul  not  heard  until  the  receipt  of  your  let- 
ter, that  extraordinary  destitution  existed  in  Craven.  On 
the  contrary  I  had  supposed,  in  comparison  with  most  of 
the  State,  that  there  was  a  good  crop  last  year,  and  that 
the  great  body  of  the  people  were  able  to  aid  the  isolated 
cases  of  distress  existing  in  every  conniiunity.  Your  rep- 
resentation surprises  me  and  concerns  me — and  if  pos- 
sible, some  aid  shall  be  sent  to  you. 
]S[ew  Bern. 


To  Horace  B.   CJiappeU. 

Eaeeigh,  May  21^/67. 

Before  the  receipt  of  yours  of  yesterday's  date,  I  had 
made  my  recommendations  for  Register  of  Wake.  Genl. 
Sickles  may  not  act  immediately  on  my  recommendations — 
or  may  disapprove  some  of  them.  If  yon  send  me  a  rec- 
ommendation as  to  your  fitness  from  persons  of  known 
respectability,  I  will  forward  it  to  Genl  Sickles. 

Xew"  Light.  "Wake  Co. 


From  Zebulon  B.  Vaiwe. 

Charlotte,  Maij  2oili,  1S67 
You  perhaps  have  seen  a  call  on  Gov.  Wise  and  mvself  inretriu-ci  to  an 

^  _   ^  "  invitation  to 

in  the  Sentinel,  from  the  negroes  of  Edgecombe  and  i!^ash  ^g^roes^"^^ 
to  address  them  on  the  issues  of  the  day.  I  am  very  averse 
to  appearing  in  politics  now,  but  regret  to  see  any  oppor- 
tunity which  the  negroes  give  us  neglected,  as  they  evi- 
dently don't  design  giving  us  many  chances  at  them — at 
least  the  mean  wdiites  who  control  them  intend  so  to  con- 
trive it. 

What  shall  I  do  ?  My  inclination  is  to  write  them  a 
letter  and  decline.  I  could  say  nearly  all  T  wish  in  the 
letter. 

Coiisult  friends  and  write  me. 


968  XoKTH  Cakolixa  Historical  Commission. 

To  General  Schon  A.  Miles. 

May  25  1S67. 
Court  of  Oyer  and        I  appoiiitcd  -Tiidiie  Warrcii  last  week,  as  soon  as  I  was 

Terminer  for  _  "^  _ 

L«^'noir.  inforiiied  that  several  of  the  malefactors,  who  have  beeii 

disquieting  the  County  of  Lenoir  and  adjacent  counties, 
were  captured  and  in  the  jail  of  Lenoir,  to  hold  a  Court 
of  Oyer  and  Terminer  in  that  County,  for  the  trial  of 
the  prisoners,  and  I  offered  a  reward  for  the  apprehension 
of  two  against  Avhom  I  was  informed  there  was  satisfac- 
tory evidence,  as  1  will  for  any  others  when  their  names 
are  furnished  to  me,  with  satisfactory  evidence  of  their 
guilty  co-operation  with  these  bands  of  regulators. 

I  also  asked  Col.  Bomford  to  furnish  a  military  guard 
for  the  jail,  who  referred  my  request  to  the  officer  com- 
manding in  Lenoir.  I  have  had  no  response  to  this  re- 
quest from  the  commandant  of  that  Post,  but  have  heard 
unofficially  that  a  portion  of  the  prisoners,  by  order  from 
some  military  officer  of  the  Ignited  States,  had  been  sent  to 
Ft.  Macon  for  safe  custody. 

I  am  intensely  anxious  that  none  of  the  prisoners  es- 
cape. Under  existing  law,  disbanding  the  militia  of  the 
State,  I  have  no  power  to  place  an  armed  giiard  around 
the  jail  and  have  done  all  I  could  for  their  safe  custody 
in  asking  the  military  authority  of  the  L"^.  S.  to  furnish 
a  guard. 

If  Major  Foster  can  furnish  me  with  the  names  of  any 
witnesses  by  whom  proof  can  be  made  against  any  one 
of  the  malefactors.  I  shall  be  much  obliged.  The  fact. 
I  think,  is  notorious  that  for  months  past,  bands  of  des- 
peradoes have  been  committing  crime  in  Lenoir  and  ad- 
jacent Counties.  The  failure  to  punish  them,  so  far  a? 
I  can  learn,  is  not  attril)utal)le  to  the  civil  authorities,  but 
to  the  failure  of  parties  injured  and  others,  to  furnish 
the  specific  information  to  the  civil  officers  which  would 
authorise  the  authorities  to  act. 

Raleigh. 


COREESPOXDEXCE    OF    JoXATHAX    WoKTII.  0G9 

To   Willi  a  Hi  Ciarl'. 

Ealeigh^  May  25  hS07. 

I  received  some  weeks  ago  your  long  and  kind  letter. 
^Ix  official  duties  require  of  me  so  mncli  writing  .  .  . 
[Here  follow  several  lines  which  are  illegible. 

.  .  .  Her  whole  life  had  been  one  sweet  and  cheerful, 
though  never  enjoj^ing  perfect  health.  So  wise  and  con- 
siderate was  she  of  the  feelings  of  every  body,  however 
humble  that  she  had  as  strong  a  hold  on  my  affections  as 
child  can  have  on  a  father — And  my  thoughts  never  re- 
turn to  her  (and  to  this  time  she  is  seldom  absent  from 
my  thoughts)   without  melancholy  anguish. 

You  continually  desire  to  know  my  views  on  the  present 
plan  of  I^ational  affairs. 

When  the  war  ended  the  South  felt    thoroughlv    con-  Feeling  in  the 

South. 

quered — and  ready  to  sidDuiit  to  the  terms  demanded  by 
her  conquerors.  If  the  narrow  malevolence  which  now 
under  the  guise  of  ^^atriotism,  demands  the  confiscation 
of  our  lands,  and  the  exile  or  death  of  the  great  body  of 
our  people  had  then  manifested  itself,  there  would  have 
been  no  attempt  at  resistance,  but  so  many  as  survived 
would  have  hated  and  taught  their  children  to  hate,  a  fac- 
tion who  nurtured  hatred  and  vengeance  after  the  van- 
guished  asked  for  quarter. 

After  two  years  of  deliberation  the  Xorth  says  t(^  u>. 
we  will  receive  you  into  fellowship  again,  whenever  you 
will  make  certain  amendments  of  the  fundamental  law, 
whereby  your  most  enlightened  and  most  respected  citi- 
zens shall  be  excluded  from  any  further  agency  in  the 
government  under  which  they  are  to  live — and  whereby 
every  male  negro  of  the  age  of  21  shall  be  declared  com- 
petent and  fit  to  manage  governmental  affairs: — and  to 
insure  your  action  in  conformity  to  our  wishes,  we  give 
you  notice  that  your  lands  shall  be  confiscated  if  you  dis- 
regard our  requirements:  and  for  fear  that  even  this 
threat  may  not  induce  you  to  adopt  a  Constitution  which 


070  ^'uKTii  Carolina  Histoiucal  Commission. 

we  rhiuk  Avill  insure  our  eoutiuued  jiartv  ascendency,  wc 
disband  vour  militia  and  cinarter  among  yon  enough 
troops,  to  compel  you  to  vote  as  we  want  yon  to  'vote. 
When  yonr  new  Constitution  is  formed  it  must  contain 
the  provisions  we  dictate,  hut  it  must  hear  the  semblance 
of  hcing  a  constitution  ado[ited  freely  \\\  you. 

I  do  nut  doubt  that  all  the  Southern  States  will  con- 
form to  the  demands  of  the  Xorth.  Total  ruin  seems  to 
be  the  denunciation  if  we  refuse  to  adopt  what  seems  to 
us  an  absurd  constitution.  To  avoid  the  bayonet  and 
secure  bread  to  preserve  life,  we  will  adopt  it — ,  but  it 
ought  to  be  manifest  to  every  iN^orthern  man  who  regards 
us  as  still  retaining  the  feelings  of  human  nature,  that 
we  do  so,  with  positive  abhorr,ence  towards  a  people  ac- 
complishing its  party  purposes  under  the  hypocritical  pre- 
tense of  preserving  Republican  government.  Our  people 
all  have  sagacity  enough  to  look  through  the  flimsy  veil 
by  which  the  party  in  power  seek  to  cover  their  designs — 
towit — the  perpetuation  of  their  party  ascendency,  undes- 
the  popular  name  of  '"Loyalty" — ''Human  Rights" — "Tm- 
]iartial  Suffrage"  and  other  class  trash — when  it  is  mani- 
fest that  those  who  work  the  wires  look  with  a  single  eye, 
to  party  ascendency. 

The  only  party,  in  my  day,  whose  whole  aims  were 
noble  and  patriotic,  was  the  Whig  party,  while  Henry 
Clay,  one  of  Xature's  noblemen,  was  its  teacher ;  and  in- 
spired it  with  his  manly  views. 

The  great  body  of  the  American  peo]^le,  now  believe, 
that  the  late  war  arose  from  antagonism  between  Freedom 
and  Slavery.  Xotliing  can  be  more  palpably  false.  Party 
Spirit  i)roductd  the  war.  The  tariff  was  the  first  pretext, 
and  Sectional  and  ]nirty  ascendency — and  then  Slavery. 
Aml)itious  Southerners  and  ambitious  Xortherners,  each 
wishing  to  rule,  draw  off  from  their  real  designs,  the 
views  of  the  gullilde  multitude  of  their  respective  sections. 

President  Johnson,  as  well  as  Lincoln,  were  patriotic 
and  national  in  their  views.      Their  scheme  of  restorino' 


I 


CORRESPO^'DENCE    OF    Jo^fATHAI^    WoRTlI.  971 

the  Union,  looked  to  the  restoration  of  cordiality  between 
the  alienated  sections.  The  present  leaders  of  the  demo- 
crat party,  who  no  doubt  represent  the  sentiments  of  tlie 
great  North,  look  to  keeping  the  Union  together,  by  keep- 
ing their  heel  npon  their  vanqnished  foes,  and  the  sword 
eontinnally  snspended  over  them,  and  compelling  the 
adoption  of  measures  under  the  hypocritical  pretext  of 
popular  approbation  by  a  people  thus  coerced. 

The  purposes  of  Providence  are  often  accomplished  by 
means  which  to  the  weakness  of  human  rcas<;)n,  seem 
illy  fitted  to  accomplish  the  end.  To  me  the  measures 
of  the  dominant  party  seem  only  suited  to  despair  and 
perpetuate  hate  between  the  sections — and  I  cannot  per- 
ceive how  material  good  is  to  spring  from  the  nurture  of 
sectional  hate: — and  my  only  hope  is  that  Providence  is  '■ 
working  out  some  great  good  by  means  which  seem  to  me 
calculated  only  to  nurse  the  most  devilish  feelings  of  the 
human  heart. 

With  military  satraps  placed  over  us,  invested  with 
absolute  control  over  us,  and  with  ignoble  spies  placed  in 
every  neighborhood  who  know  they  can  make  themselves 
acceptable  to  the  N^orth  and  retain  their  places,  only  by 
maligning  all  our  actions,  you  need  not  expect  from  our 
press  or  otherwise  the  expression  of  feeling  which  our 
people  naturally  indulge.  All  manly  expression  of  senti- 
ment is  crushed.  The  temptation  is  almost  irresistable 
to  seek  for  favor  by  fawniiig — and  not  a  few  yield  to 
the  temptation.     Silence  is  the  resource  of  manly  honesty. 

The  feeling  among  the  great  body  of  our  jieople — and 
especially  among  the  late  owners  of  slaves,  is  one  of  kind- 
ness and  pity  for  this  confiding  impovident  man.  Not 
one  man  in  ten  would  restore  them  to  slavery.  If  we  were 
let  alone  every  facility  would  be  allowed  them,  by  in- 
dustry and  good  conduct,  to  improve  their  condition  :  but 
to  have  our  land  traversed  by  Wilson,  Kelly  and  other 
Xorthern  partizans,  seeking  to  segregate  the  negro  from 
the  whites,  and  sow  the  seeds  of  antagonism  of  the  races 


072  XoKTH  Carolixa  Historical  Commission. 

in  order  (not  disguised)  to  insure  the  ascendency  of  the 
Republican  ]>arty,  in  these  States,  intensifies  the  hostility 
of  onr  people  towards  the  dominant  power.  This  feeling- 
is  necessarily  suppressed.  Few  are  Mailing  to  be  made 
martyrs,  wluai  they  see  no  good  likely  to  result  from  self 
sacrifice. 

For  your  personal  satisfaction  I  have  made  this  frank 
exposition  of  the  state  of  feeling  here.  It  is  not  for  the 
public  eye. 

All  my  life  my  sentiments  as  to  national  affairs  have 
been  in  cordial  nnison  with  the  teachings  of  Genl  Wash- 
ington in  his  farewell  address :  but  I  have  no  affection  for 
such  a  Union  and  such  a  Constitution  as  is  maintained 
and,  established  by  brute  force. 

We  are  enjoying  good  health  and  no  event  has  occurred 
lately  among  our  family  circle,  of  any  importance. 

Ecoxo:my.  Ixdiaxa. 


To  Til 'Unas  C.  Fuller. 

May  26  1S67. 
Arrest  of  Toiar.etc.  Yours  of  the  22  iiist.,  co'.'eriug  copy  of  Indictment 
against  Ca]it.  Tolar  is  received.  In  my  efforts  to  induce 
Genl.  Sickles  to  desist  from  his  interference  with  the  Su])r 
Court  of  Cumberland  in  the  case  of  your  client  and  ]\lr. 
McEae,  I  much  needed  this  copy.  The  General's  action 
is  based  on  the  representation  of  General  Avery,  an  offi- 
cer of  the  Freedman's  Bureau,  whose  duty  as  I  infer  from 
his  action  in  this  and  other  cases,  is  always  performed 
with  the  single  idea,  that  a  Southern  white  man  never 
tells  the  truth,  and  that  a  negro  never  lies.  I  have  had 
?n  interview  with  him.  He  puts  his  recommendations 
chiefly  on  the  action  of  the  coroner's  jury.  If  the  evidence 
before  that  jury  and  their  verdict  were  furnished  me,  it 
might  be  of  much   advantage  to  me.     Avery  represents 


I 


CORKESPONDEXOE    OF    JOXATHAX     Woinil.  97;j 

the  verdict  as  not  conforming  to  the  evidence  and  hence 
argnes  that  jnstice  cannot  be  had  before  a  Cnmberland 
jnrv. 

All  the  intlnence  I  can  exercise  to  defeat  this  scheme 
of  trying  these  men  by  a  military  commission  will  hj 
exerted, — and  I  will  thank  von  for  any  facts  which  yon 
may  think  wonld  be  of  service  to  me. 

I  had  written  for  a  copy  of  the  Indictment.  Say  to 
the  Clerk  that  the  copy  sent  by  yon  serves  my  pnrpose. 

Fayetteville. 


To  Luke  Blacliiner. 

May  27,  1S67. 

A  letter  was  received  from  yon  some  week  or  two  ago  Military  arrests. 
relating  to  the  arrest  of  Messrs.  March  and  Hampton.  By 
some  nnacconntable  means  it  has  been  mislaid,  withont 
having  been   answered :      I   snppose  it    is   now   nnimport 
whether  I  answer  it  at  all. 

Mr.  Thomas  bronght  the  application  addressed  to  Genl. 
Sickles  to  me  for  my  endorsement.  The  application  for 
endorsement  was  made  in  writing  by  Mr.  Gorrell  and  I 
believe  by  the  other  counsel  associated  with  him.  I  read 
the  petition:  I  responded  that  I  could  perceive  no  reason 
upon  the  facts  stated  in  the  petition,  for  the  interposition 
of  the  military  authorities :  that  while  the  counsel  that 
filed  the  petition  were  both  personally  and  professionally 
gentlemen  of  high  standing,  I  did  not  concur  in  the  al- 
legation that  our  Courts  could  not  give  adequate  relief. 

I  have  a  copy  of  this  letter  at  my  office.  I  write  from 
my  residence  (being  unwell  today)  and  give  the  substance 
from  memory. 

Whether  my  letter  was  presented  to  the  General  or  not 
I  do  not  know.  As  I  perceive  from  a  note  in  the  Old 
North  State  to-day,  that  you  and  Mr.  McCorkle  were  al- 
lowed to  see  the  papers,  allow  me  to  inquire,  was  my  let- 
ter filed  ?     You  can  have  a  copy  of  it,  if  you  wish  it. 

Saeisbury. 


974  Xoirni  Cakolixa  IIistokical  CoiNrMissiox. 

To  D.  F.  C  aid  well 

May  28  1867. 

Ill  the  report  of  Genl.  Avery  to  Col.  Bomford,  toucli- 
iiig  the  case  of  Robert  Davis,  occur  the  following  pas- 
sages— 

"After  hi:^  arrest  he  was  told  by  the  Jailor,  Mr.  Reese, 
that  he  would  certainly  be  convicted  and  that  his  only 
chance  for  obtaining  mercy,  was  to  tell  the  whole  matter. 
A  ]\Ir.  ^larrow  and  ]\Ir.  S.  B.  Glenn,  accompanied  by  the 
jailor,  visited  Davis  in  the  prison,  and  after  some  con- 
versation with  him,  induced  him  to  confess  that  he  had 
entered  the  house  of  Mr.  Marrow  and  taken  the  property 
from  two  other  houses. 

Mr.  Glenn,  one  of  the  parties  to  whom  the  confession 
was  made,  told  Mr.  Bro\\Ti,  a  prominent  merchant  in 
Greensboro,  at  the  time  the  confession  was  made,  that  he 
told  the  boy  Davis  he  had  whipped  him  once  for  stealing, 
and  that  unless  he  now  told  the  whole  truth  he  would  whip 
him  again,  and  that  Davis  thereon  confessed  the  crime  as 
charged  and  two  other  similar  cases." 

You  will  see  that  the  drift  of  this  report  was  intended 
to  impeach  the  fairness  of  the  conviction. 

I  have  reason  to  believe  that  Genl.  Avery,  upon  whose 
reports  the  negro  Cooper,  convicted  of  rape  in  Granville, 
was  Avithdrawn  from  the  civil  authorities — and  several 
persons  in  Fayetteville  seized  and  carried  to  Ft  Macon 
for  trial  before  a  military  commission,  hefore  a  Court 
having  cognizance  of  the  crime  iinputed  to  them  could  act, 
has  contributed  more  than  any  other  officer  stationed  in 
X.  C,  to  make  the  unjust  impression  that  our  Courts 
will  not  act  impartially  where  a  negro  is  concerned.  I 
wish  to  know  whether  the  facts  reporting  a  crime  against 
Reese  in  T.  County  are  truly  stated.     Will  appreciate  it. 

Greensboro,  X.  C. 


I 


COREESPO^'DEXCE    OF    JoXATHAX    WoKTII.  ^'~5 

To  General  Daniel  E.  SicHes. 

Ealeigii  2Iay  2S/G7. 

lu  the  several  cases  of  petitions  by  ])arties  to  von  for  p^rdon"^ '^'"^ 
pardon  for  offences  of  which  there  had  been  a  convietii)n 
in  our  Courts,  which  you  have  referred   to  me,  I  have 
invariably  taken  proper  steps  to  ascertain  the  facts. 

I  do  not  know  whether  you  desire  me  to  report  to  you 
the  result  of  such  inquiry  and  my  action  thereon.  If  so, 
I  will  attend  to  it  at  once. 

In  the  case  of  the  petition  of  J.  J.  Gibbs,  of  Charlotte, 
whose  petition  represented  that  he  was  persecuted  because 
he  had  been  a  U.  S.  soldier,  I  inclosed  a  copy  of  his  peti- 
tion to  Ex-Gov.  Vance,  residing  in  Charlotte  and  asked 
him  to  refer  it  to  some  intelligent  U.  S.  officer.  Inclosed 
find  rejDort  of  Capt.  Lazelle. 

Chaklestox,  S.  C. 


To  General  Daniel  E.  Sickles. 

May  29  1S07. 

Allow  me  to  call  your  attention  to  my  letter  of  the  2Gth 
Apl,  inquiring  whether  I  coidd  have  possession  of  the  Gov- 
ernor's mansion  and  grounds,  now  occupied  by  your  mili- 
tary authorities,  in  order  to  repair  them,  as  required  by 
an  act  of  the  last  Genl  Assembly — and  also  imiiiiring 
whether  rent  w^ould  be  allowed  this  State  for  their  occu- 
pation since  I  entered  on  the  discharge  of  my  duties,  by 
order  of  the  President — or  for  any  other  times.  I  have 
not  been  informed  whether  my  letter  of  the  26th  ult 
reached  your  hands. 

Charleston. 


97<')  yoRTJi  Caroli^'a  Historical  Co.mmissiox. 

From  Braxton  Craven. 

Tkimty  College  June  6,  1867. 

S^Y/c.H.my"'  ^^''^1  y'^^  ^'^'  '1^  ^^ij^^^  Point  on  Wednesday  evening  on 

the  mail  train  ?     I  hope  yon  will. 

irovenieiits  ai-c  on  hand  beyonnd  my  com])i'ehcnsions. 
They  are  moving  heaven  and  earth  in  this  Connty.  Froycr 
is  certain  to  bo  ]mt  ont  of  office,  for  daring  to  recommend 
any  thing  bnt  Eed  Strings.  It  will  be  disastrons  to  this 
Connty  for  Renben  Trogden  will  be  pnt  in,  it  is  said,  bnt 
I  do  not  know  anything  that  can  be  done. 

I  see  nothing  now,  bnt  for  all  trne  men  to  stand  shonl- 
der  to  shonlder,  w^atch  and  wait.  The  efforts  will  bo  to 
prevent  registration  to  a  tremenclons  extent. 

Come  n]),  many  friends  wish  to  see  yon.  All  have  not 
bowed  the  knee  to  Baal. 


To  D.  F.  CaldweU. 

June  8  1867. 

My  accnmnlated  dnties  limit  mo  to  a  very  brief  reply 
to  yonr  patriotic  and  manly  letters, 

I  have  in  no-wase  committed  myself  on  the  great  pend- 
ing qnestions,  beyond  the  point  that  all  who  can  should 
register.  As  to  giving  the  semblance  of  volition,  by  an 
act  of  mine  wdiere  I  am  allowed  semblance  of  volition,  to 
a  change  of  onr  Constitntion,  really  nnder  the  sword,  bnt 
ostensibly  volnntary  on  onr  part,  I  most  heartily  heartily 
concur  with  yon:  bnt  I  deem  it  nnwise  and  im])olitic,  at 
ill  is  time,  to  say  any  thing  to  the  pnblic. 

The  article  in  the  Sentinel  appeared  withont  my  knowd- 
edge.     I  have  snbmitted  yonr  [inefj!hJe.~\ 

Gkeeissboeo. 


COERESPOXDEXCE    OF    JoXATIIAX     WoKTH.  977 

To  Colonel  W.  G.  Moore. 

Jane  01  k  1807. 

There  is  a  matter,  apparently  unimportant,  which  to 
some  extent  injuriously  affects  the  President,  to  which  I 
desire  in  unofficial  shape,  to  call  your  attention.  I  do  so, 
because  I  regard  you  as  a  sincere  friend  of  the  President — 
from  elevated  considerations — and  I  have  formed  a  strong 
attachment,  to  you  personally  from  the  convictions  that 
you  are  an  honest  man — a  rare  case  now-a-days. 

Gov.  Holden  abused  the  confidence  of  the  President  as  uoiden's  conduct 
to  recommending  persons  for  pardons,  in  this. — All  his  plrdoJIs!*^  '° 
actions  were  shaped  to  bring  about  his  election  by  the 
people  as  Governor.  .  He  never  failed  to  recommend  for 
pardon  any  one, — wdiatever  his  antecedents,  who  gave  him 
satisfactory  assurance  of  support.  He  recommended  for 
suspension  or  rejection,  every  one,  regardless  of  his  po- 
litical antecedents,  who  would  not  assure  him  of  support. 
Let  me  give  you  an  illustration.  The  following  gentlemen 
had  been  members  of  the  Confederate  Congress  and  were 
open  and  avowed  Secessionists — Lander,  Craige,  Bridgers, 
Arrington,  Venable.  On  the  other  hand  the  follomng 
men — Gov.  Graham,  Vance,  Jo.  Turner,  Gaither,  and 
others  of  like  stripe,  who  had  never  endorsed  Secession, 
but  W'Ould  not  become  spaniels  and  lick  the  hand  which 
had  chastised  them,  were  represented  as  unworthy  of  par- 
dons. The  class  of  men  last  mentioned  could  not  be  par- 
doned, because  they  would  not  support  Holden.  It  was 
soon  understood  that  the  purport  to  pardoii  was  support 
of  Holden. 

This  brings  me  to  my  point — On  my  last  visit  to  Wash- 
ington the  pardon  clerk,  at  my  request,  furnished  me  with 
a  list  of  persons,  from  this  State,  who  had  petitioned  for 
pardons,  on  account  of  being  worth  $20,000.  or  holding 
some  petty  office,  whose  pardon  Gov.  Holden  had  rec- 
ommended to  be  suspended  or  rejected.  Every  person  on 
this  list  was  politically  obscure;  but  were  known  to  jMr. 

Vol.  2—21 


978  JS'oRTii  Carolina  Historical  Commission. 

Holden  to  be  men,  who  under  no  circumstances  would  vote 
to  make  bim  Governor.  Many  of  them  are  estimable 
men.  When  they  know  that  Dortch,  Bridgers,  McLean, 
Venable,  Arrington  and  other  conspicuous  members  of 
the  Confederate  Congress  who  bad  done  their  best  to  bring- 
about  and  sustain  the  rebellion,  are  pardoned,  while  they, 
many  of  whom  resisted  the  Revolution  as  long  as  the 
United  States  could  protect  them,  are  not  pardoned — not 
properly  appreciating  the  vast  field  of  duty  to  Avhich  the 
President  has  to  look,  conceive  that  they  are  wronged. 
Much  as  /  abhorred  Secession  you  must  not  infer  that  I 
object  to  any  pardon  which  has  been  granted.  What  I 
desire  to  impress  is  that  Justice  and  policy  alike  require 
that  all  these  petitioners,  who  have  never  been  conspicu- 
ous as  politicians,  ought  to  be  pardoned.  A  list  of  them 
was  made  out  by  the  pardon  clerk  and  T  endorsed  it,  rec- 
ommending that  the  pardons  issue.  I  do  not  doubt  that 
it  has  been  overlooked  simply  on  account  of  the  pressure 
of  more  important  business.  The  object  of  this  letter  is 
to  ask  you  to  have  that  list  hunted  up  and  the  pardons 
forwarded.  I  ask  it  more  in  justice  to  the  President  than 
for  the  sake  of  the  parties.  I  believe  the  President  to  be 
''the  noblest  work  of  God — an  honest  man"  and  desire  to 
contribute  my  mite  to  protect  him  from  unjust  criticism. 

These  men  know  their  pardons  were  not  granted  with 
others  in  like  position,  on  account  of  the  personal  hostility 
of  Holden.  They  can't  be  made  to  understand  why  they 
are  now  withheld. 

Washington^  D.  C. 


To  F.  B.  SaUertJiwaite. 

June  12  1867 
concerniug  vacan-       I  have  received  the  petition  of  yourself  and  others  for 

cies  in  county  . 

offices.  the  appointment  of  Mr.  Stackey  as  Clerk  of  your  Court  to 

fill  vacancv  occasioned  bv  the  recent  death  of  the  former 


Correspondence  of  Jonathan  Worth.  979 

clerk — and  have  forwarded  it  to  Genl.  Sickles  with  this 
endorsement — 

"The  petitioners  are  gentlemen  distinguished  for  in- 
telligence, and  in  every  way  worthy  men. 

I  think  that  a  fair  interpretation  of  the  re-construction 
act,  as  well  as  public  policy,  will  leave  the  filling  of  this 
vacancy  with  the  County  Court.  If  the  commanding  Gen- 
eral deems  it  his  right  and  duty  to  fill  this  vacancy,  I 
recommend  that  the  prayer  of  the  petitioners  be  granted. 

I  do  not  interpret  the  act  of  Congress  as  declaring  the 
civil  authorities  of  the  State  a  provisional  government, 
simply  to  record  the  edicts  of  the  Military  Commandant — 
but  to  administer  the  government  of  the  State  as  to  civil 
matters,  according  to  the  laws  of  the  State.  I  do  not  con- 
strue this  act  as  conferring  on  him  the  power  to  remove 
and  ap]3oint  civil  officers  at  will,  and  have  made  an  em- 
phatic remonstrance  to  the  Prest.  against  the  late  meas- 
ures of  Genl,  Sickles  which  seem  to  look  to  the  total  ab- 
sorption of  the  civil  by  the  military  power.  I  have  occa- 
soin  to  believe  my  action  will  be  favorably  considered  not 
only  by  the  Executive  Dept.  of  the  Govt,  of  the  U.  S. — 
but  by  the  Republican  wing  of  its  Judiciary. 

Washington. 


To  J.  M.  Parrott. 

June  12  1S67.      ■ 

I  inclose  an  anonymous  letter.  It  states  some  facts  with 
such  precision  as  to  entitle  it  to  more  than  the  considera- 
tion usually  due  to  irresponsible  letters.  Most  earnestly 
do  I  desire  to  do  something  to  arrest  the  horrible  state 
of  affairs  described  by  the  writer — but  what  can  I  do  ? 
What  can  any  authority,  civil  or  military — do  if  the  local 
community  are  so  svipine  or  so  terrified,  that  they  will 
not  or  dare  not  ferret  out  the  perpetrators  of  those  deeds 
of  horror !     I  inclose  to  you  this  letter,  assuming  you  may 


980  jSToktii  Carolixa  Historical  Commission. 

know  the  writer — or  that  you  may  be  able  to  suggest  some 
means  by  Avhich  I  may  personally  or  officially  be  useful 
in  bringing  the  criminals  to  Justice  or  giving  security  to 
your  people.  These  generalities  only  annoy  me.  Govern- 
ment and  laws,  ever  so  well  administered,  can  do  little 
to  protect  a  people.  Avho  will  do  nothing  to  ferret  out  and 
bring  to  the  attention  of  the  authorities  tlie  names  of  the 
perpetrators  of  crimes.  I  feel  almost  indignant  at  ap- 
peals to  me  which  furnish  me  no  facts  on  wdiich  I  can 
base  any  action. 

I  w^ill  go  any  length  to  capture  and  punish  these  crim- 
inals, if  furnished  with  proper  information.  The  local 
community — and  not  the  authorities — are  responsible  for 
the  impunity  of  these  murderers. 

KiNSTOX. 


To  J.  B.  McndenliaU. 

June  12  1S67. 

As  the  son  of  my  early  and  steadfast  friend  so  long 
as  he  lived,  you  were  entitled  to  an  earlier  answer  to 
yours  of  the  14th  ult.,  which,  notwithstanding  the  pressure 
on  my  time,  w^ould  have  been  made,  but  for  the  fact  that 
I  learned  from  Mr.  Jackson  that  no  question  would  be 
submitted  for  my  decision. 

I  still  adhere  most  firmly  to  the  principle,  on  which  I 
and  your  worthy  father  while  he  lived,  always  acted — to- 
wit — to  perform,  no  odds  what  sacrifice,  whatever  w^e 
undertook  to  do,  wholly  irrespective  of  the  question  whether 
performance  could  be  enforced  by  law  or  not.  In  the 
present  case,  no  effort  will  be  made  to  induce  you  to  pay 
interest  for  wdiich  you  are  not  responsible  on  the  face  of 
your  note:  but  if  your  contract  (however  injudicious)  re- 
quired you  to  give  a  note  bearing  interest,  it  would  have 
been  beneficial  to  you — pecuniarily — on  the  principle  that 
honesty  is  always  the  best  policy — to  pay  it. 


COfiKESPONDENCE    OF    JONATHAN    WOKTll.  981 

With  the  sincerest  wishes  for  your  prosperity  and  that 
you  may  always  maintain  the  enviable  reputation  of  your 
father — as  an  honest  man — I  am 

Jamestowist. 


To  B.  S.  Hedrich 

June  12  1867. 
I  think  you  know  the  political  antecedents  of  Jo.  Turner  Asking  a  pardon 

.  for  Josiah  Turner. 

jr.  If  there  be  m  the  IT.  S.  a  more  constant,  stern,  honest 
advocate  for  sustaining  the  Constitution  and  the  Union, 
so  long  as  the  government  of  the  U.  S.  could  protect  him, 
than  Jo.  Turner,  I  do  not  know  him.  He  committed  the 
error,  as  I  think,  when  he  could  not  resist  the  current  of 
revolution,  of  volunteering  as  a  soldier  in  the  Confederate 
service.  When  he  was  afterwards  elected  to  Congress  in 
this  Congressional  District,  over  a  secession  competitor  and 
re-elected  as  a  Holdenite,  and  advocated  and  pressed  every 
measure  tending  to  peace  on  the  basis  of  reunion  all  his 
sins  should  have  been  forgiven: — and  certainly  there  can 
exist  no  good  reason  v^^hy  the  president  should  with-hohl 
his  pardon,  after  pardoning  McLean,  Dortch,  Vcnable, 
Arrington,  Lander,  etc.  You  know  he  is  a  man  of  un- 
common moral  courage — and  was  the  chief  actor  in  bring- 
ing me  out  to  defeat  Holden.  He  is  a  first-rate  man  as  a 
Director  on  a  It.  It.  He  never  has  any  favorite  whom  he 
would  not  attack  if  he  deemed  it  due  to  honesty — and  has 
the  talent  and  general  capacity  fitting  him  for  the  position. 
I  appointed  him  a  Director  on  the  iN".  C.  R.  R.  last  year 
and  would  like  to  re-appoint  him  this  year.  In  a  few 
days  I  must  act. — The  general  course  of  the  military  com- 
mandant of  this  district  lately — as  well  as  other  informa- 
tion leads  me  to  believe  that  he  means  to  assume  the  ap- 
pointment of  Directors,  for  our  Rail  Roads.  In  this  I 
hope  I  am  mistaken — but  I  feel  confident  if  I  appoint  an 
unpardoncrj  rehe],  it  will  l)o  made  the  occasion  of  outcry 


982  NoKTH  Carolina  Historical  Commission. 

by  Holden  and  his  followers — and,  I  fear,  the  pretext,  for 
the  assumption  of  military  control  over  the  Public  Works 
of  the  State. 

I  am  in  this  embarrassing  position.  If  I  fail  to  nomi- 
nate ]\Ir.  Turner,  every  body  will  say  that  I  have  acted 
ungratefully,  if  not  meanly,  towards  him  (as  nobody  pre- 
tends to  doubt  his  competency  and  fitness  for  the  position. 
If  I  nominate  him,  it  may  lead  to  the  interposition  of  Genl. 
Sickles,  on  the  plausible  pretext  that  I  have  appointed  an 
unpardoned  rebel. 

If  you  can  get  the  ear  of  the  President,  please  explain 
my  dilemma,  and  ask  him  to  relieve  me  by  pardoning  Tur- 
ner. I  feel  very  anxious  about  this. — If  any  thing  be 
done  it  should  be  immediately.  Turner  knows  nothing  of 
this  application.  He  feels  wounded  at  the  withholding 
of  his  pardon  and  would  not  propose  my  interposition  to 
press  it — but  deem  my  action  as  offensive. 

I  ask  his  pardon  as  a  personal  favor,  which  I  deem  en- 
tirely compatible  with  the  public  interest  and  which  I 
believe  would  be  gratifying  to  every  friend  of  the  Presi- 
dent in  Xorth  Carolina. 

Washhstgtox^  D.  C. 


To  H.  H.  Helper.^ 

Raleigh^  Jwie  13/67. 
Concerning  the  J  ^q  ^q^  know  Avhethcr  your  duties  are  confined  solely 

appointment  of  j  ^ 

registers.  ^^  laying  down  rules  of  Registration,  or  whether  you  are 

consulted  or  not,  as  to  the  fitness  of  persons  nominated  to 
the  Comg.  Genl  as  registers.  I  send  a  letter  touching  the 
Registers  in  Hyde. 

The  late  orders  of  Genl  Sickles,  sending  to  a  military 
prison  without  preliminary  hearing,  one  of  the  most  or- 
derly men  in  the  State,  Duncan  McRae  of  Fayetteville, 


1  A   brother  of  Hinton   E.   Helper,   the   author   of   The  Impending 
Crisis. 


COERESPOXDEXCE    OF    JOXATIIAX     W'oiJTH.  983 

without  any  complaint  having  been  preferred  against  him 
before  any  civil  magistrate  or  Court,  upon  a  charge  which 
no  decent  man  I  have  seen  or  heard  of  believes  to  be  well 
founded — The  abolition  of  the  Courts  in  several  Counties 
upon  representations  made  ex-parte — and  believed  to  be 
entirely  groundless:  his  removal  of  the  municipal  authori- 
ties of  Fayetteville  without  any  charge  preferred  against 
him  or  opportunity  to  confront  their  accusers  and  offer 
evidence ;  and  general  orders  jSTo.  32  and  34,  have  pro- 
duced dismay  and  dissatisfaction  among  the  most  en- 
lightened and  virtuous  of  our  people. 

I  deeply  regret  that  the  commanding  general  has  deemed 
it  his  duty  to  make  these  orders.  I  have  good  reason  to 
believe  that  Judges  Chase  and  Brooks  regard  such  of  the 
orders  of  the  General  as  assume  jurisdiction  over  matters 
purely  civil  as  transcending  his  powers  and  such  is  the 
opinion  of  all  the  legal  gentlemen  from  whom  I  have  heard. 

I  shall  be  glad  to  hear  from  you.  What  you  write  shall 
be  deemed  personal  and  confidential,  if  you  so  reqaest. 

Chaelestox,  S.  C. 


To  Master  John  B.  ToJar.' 

June  U  IS 67. 

Your  letter  exhibiting  the  solicitude  becoming  a  dutiful 
son  for  a  father  oppressed  as  your  father  is,  was  duly  re- 
ceived. 

I  have  been  using  all  the  influence  I  could  exert  with 
the  military  authorities  to  induce  them  to  allow  the  pris- 
oners to  be  tried  in  the  civil  Courts.  The  mind  of  Genl. 
Sickles  has  been  so  poisoned  by  informers  whose  names  are 


1  A  son  of  Tolar  of  Fayetteville,  arrested,  tried,  and  condemned  by 
military  commission  for  the  killing  of  A.  Beebe,  a  negro  guilty  of  an 
attempt  at  rape. 


984  jSToktii  Caeolixa  Historical  Commission. 

unknown  to  mo,  that  luj  efforts  thus  far  have  been  unavail- 
ing. Thev  will  be  continued — but  I  have  faint  hopes  of 
success. 

With  the  deepest  sympathv  for  you  and  yours — 

Fayetteville. 


To  Thomas  Buffin. 

June  IJf  1S67. 

I  showed  your  letter  of  the  3rd  explaining  the  cause  of 
your  failure  to  join  in  the  cortage  in  honor  of  the  Presi- 
dent— to  him — and  also  to  Gov.  Seward.  Each  of  them 
admired  its  tone  and  sentiments.  The  Prest.  who  seems 
sad  and  taciturn,  remarked  that  it  was  an  admirable  let- 
ter— and  that  it  ought  to  be  preserved.  I  think  its  pub- 
lication might  do  good  ?  Will  you  allow  me  to  have  it 
published  ? 

With  sincere  hope  that  your  health  may  be  improved 
and  that  you  may  be  allowed  to  live  to  see  something  of 
civil  liberty  restored  to  our  unhappy  people, 

IIlLLSBOKO. 


pardon  of  Turner. 


From  B.  S.  Hedrich. 
Washington,  D.  C.  June  15,  1867. 
Concerning  the  The  President  has  promised  to  issue  Turner's  pardon 

Tinrnon  of  Tnriipr  i  ^ 

tomorrow,  and  send  immediately  to  you.  Col.  Moore 
asked  me  to  say  to  you  that  he  had  received  your  letter, 
and  had  not  answered  only  because  he  Avished  to  be  able 
to  say  when  he  did  answer  that  what  you  desired  had  been 
done. 

I  leave  here  for  Raleigh  to-morrow  morning,   and  ex- 
pect to  be  there  Monday  evening,  by  the  time  this  reaches 


I 


CORRESPOJSTDENCE    OF    JONATHAN    WoKTII.  985 

you.     Soon  after  I  get  to  Raleigh,  I  will  go  and  see  Kemp 
Battle,  and  let  him  know  of  my  arrival. 


William  H.  Bagley  to  Joslali  Turner,  Jr. 

June  21st  1807. 

Enclosed  please  find  Express  receipt  for  package,  con-  Pardon  of  Turner. 
taining  your  warrant  of  pardon  from  the  President,  this 
day  sent  as  per  receipt. 

The  Governor  is  now  absent,  and  it  is  proper,  perhaps, 
to  add  that  the  immediate  issuance  of  the  pardon  is  due  to 
the  efforts  of  Col.  W.  G.  Moore,  the  President's  Private 
Secretary,  who  had  made  prompt  efforts  in  the  matter 
at  the  request  of  Gov.  Worth. 

HiLLSBOKO. 


To  Colonel  J.  V.  Bomford. 

Raleigh  June  22  IS 67. 

I  was  notified  by  Genl.  Sickles,  by  telegram  of  the  1st 
inst.  that  ''^orders  had  been  sent  that  day  to  Coimnanding 
Officer  at  Raleigh  to  restore  premises"  (Executive  man- 
sion) "to  the  executive." 

If  you  have  reed  these  orders  please  inform  me  when 
the  premises  will  be  restored  to  me. 

Raeeigh. 


To  B.  S.  Iledrick. 

June  2Jf.  1867. 
On  the  3rd  Deer,  last  I  recommended  for  ])ardon  under 
the  $20,000.   exception,   J.    S.  Means,    of    Mecklenburg 
Countv.    He  aot  a  ]\fr.  "Wallace  of  Phila.  whom  he  deemed 


986  XoRTii  Cakolina  Historical  Commission. 

his  friend,  to  present  the  petition.  He  writes  me  that 
Wallace  got  the  pardon,  bnt  refuses  to  surrender  it  to 
him  except  upon  the  payment  of  a  large  fee.  He  claimed 
at  first  $350. — but  has  gradually  lowered  his  demand  to 
$100. 

It  is  a  case  of  mean  fraud  on  Means.  Can  you  not  get 
a  duplicate  and  send  me  ? 

Wasiiixgtoiv,  D.  C. 


To  J.  Turner,  Jr. 

June  25  1867. 

Kaiiroad°DSlctors.  I  li^d  no  Opportunity  to  get  at  Parsley's  views.  I  found 
much  difficulty  in  getting  Dr.  Ramsey  and  'Mv.  Winston 
to  concur  in  my  recommendations,  to-wit 

1.  Means 

2.  Coffin 

3.  Alf  Hargrave — not  J.  W.  Thomas 

4.  Jesse  H.  Lindsay 

5.  Giles  Mebane 

6.  Yourself 

7.  Tucker 

8.  Parsley 

We  adjourned  to  2nd  July  without  making  ai^point- 
ments  for  N.  C.  E.  R. 

Both  my  associates  seemed  to  prefer  re-appointing 
Boyden  and  Roberts  and  Dr.  Moore.  I  suppose  all  of 
these  would  vote  as  they  did  last  year,  would  they  not  ? 

-How  would  Mebane  vote  ?  How  Lindsay  ?  Thomas 
stinks  so  strongly  in  the  nostrils  of  all  honest  men,  that  I 
deemed  it  out  of  the  question  to  nominate  him.  I  am 
absolutely  harrassed  by  the  diversity  of  my  duties — and 
can  say  no  more  now. 

HiLI.SBORO. 


I 


I 


CoERESPONDEiXCE    OF    JOXATHAX    WoKTlI.  987 

To  B.  G.  ^yortll. 

June,  ^Sih  HSGl. 

A  most  extraordiuary  pressure  of  business  for  some 
days  past  has  made  it  impossible  for  me  to  keep  up  with 
my  correspondence. 

I  think,  upon  the  facts  stated  in  your  letter  that  Stephen 
Coffin  is  properly  indictable  for  cheating  you  by  false 
pretences — but  whether  the  Courts  of  ]S'ew  York  or  In- 
diana have  jurisdiction,  I  cannot  say,  and  I  have  not 
examined  the  Statute  of  Indiana.  I  suppose  the  cheating 
was  by  a  letter  written  from  Indiana,  and  that  the  false 
representation  was  not  made  in  jST.  Y.  b}"  Coffin  in  person. 
Upon  the  legal  question  whether  the  Criminal  Courts  of 
l!^.  Y.  w^ould  have  jurisdiction,  the  offence  being  com- 
mitted in  N.  Y.  by  a  letter  written  from  la.,  I  incline  to 
the  affirmative,  but  cannot  be  free  from  doubt,  and  have 
not  time  to  search  for  the  authorities.  You  had  better 
submit  the  question  to  a  learned  lawyer  and  if  the  indict- 
ment will  lie,  try  to  get  your  debt  secured  by  the  parties 
rather  than  be  indicted.  I  think  you  will  find  more  diffi- 
culty in  getting  your  debt  secured  after  a  bill  found,  than 
before.  It  seems  to  me  from  Barney's  letter  to  you  that 
he  and  Nixon  are  indictable  as  well  as  Stephen. 

The  absurd  re-construction  acts  and  the  more  absurd 
execution  of  them  by  the  military  commandants,  tends  to 
deeper  the  alienations  between  the  sections.  My  position 
was  never  more  embarrassing.  The  reconstruction  on  the 
basis  of  the  acts  of  Congress,  to-wit  the  enfranchisement 
of  the  negro,  and  disfranchisement  of  the  men  of  intelli- 
gence and  property,  will  be  the  building  of  a  house  on 
the  sand — the  negro  and  mean  white  men  ready  to  bend 
the  cringing  knee  to  favor  will  rule  the  State — and  the 
ISTorth  in  thus  ruining  us,  ruins  the  whole  nation.  Ben 
Wade's  election  is  the  natural  sequent  of  universal  suf- 
frage. The  cupidity  of  the  propertyless,  the  majority  in 
all  Counties,  will  demand  and  enforce  distribution  of 
property.     The  Xorth  is  digging  a  grave  for  the  nation. 

*  vS-  *  *  -S  •S'  * 


988  North  Cakolixa  Historical  Com^niission. 

The  prospects  of  a  crop  of  corn  and  cotton  is  very  bad 
owing-  to  the  improbability  of  good  cnltnre.  There  have 
not  been  three  days  in  the  past  five  weeks  when  the 
ground  was  not  too  wet  to  plongh. 

ISTew  York  City. 


To  Tyre  YorJc, 

June  29  1867. 

I  liave  no  power,  nor  lias  Genl.  Sickles  power,  according 
to  the  opinion  of  the  Att,  Genl.  and  the  President  and 
Cabinet,  to  order  the  Genl  Assembly  not  to  meet.  The 
General  Assembly  having  thought  proper  to  fix  the  day 
of  its  next  meeting,  and  must  meet  according  to  its  ad- 
journment unless  the  actions  of  the  Congress  now  expected 
to  meet  in  July  shall  interfere  by  new  legislation. 

In  a  great  hurry. 

Trap  Hill. 


To  JIlUs  L.  Eui-e. 

June  29  1867. 
Sickles' jury  order.  I  regard  it  as  clear  that  Sickles'  jury  order  contemplates 
the  putting  on  the  list  from  which  jurors  are  to  be  drawTi 
every  citizen  (black  or  white)  who  shall  have  paid  taxes 
the  current  year;  whether  convicts  for  infamous  crimes  or 
not  able  to  count  twenty,  and  to  draw  the  jury  from  this 
list.  From  a  personal  conversation  wnth  the  General  I 
understand  his  position  to  be  that  every  citizen  from 
whom  the  government  exacts  a  tax,  whether  on  property 
or  the  poll,  must  be  held  entitled  to  all  the  privileges  of 
the  most  favored  citizens.  It  wall  probably  be  expedient 
that  the  Court  take  no  action  until  it  be  seen  whether  the 
opinion  of  the  Atto.  Genl  shall  be  sustained  and  what 
action  the  Congress  shall  take  in  the  premises. 

I  venture  this  suggestion,  but  you  can  see  as  deep  into 
the  darkness  ahead  as  I  can. 


COKKESPOXDEXCE    OF    JoXATIlAX    WoKTU.  939 

Genl.  Sickles  refuses  to  put  any  cunstructiuu  on  his 
edicts.  He  holds  that  the  authorities  must  construe  them 
as  thej  have  to  construe  acts  of  the  Assembly. 

Gatesville. 


To  B.  B.  Baschal. 

July  1  1867. 
Yours  of  the  18th  ult  is  received. 
The  Genl.  xissemhlv  havino-  adiourned  to  a  day  certain,  m  regrani  to  meet- 

"  f^         J  i/  '  ing  of  the  (ieneral 

1  have  no  power  nor  has  Genl.  Sickles  the  power,  under  -^'^^embiy. 
tlie  opinion  of  the  Atto.  Genl  sanctioned  by  the  President 
and  his  Cabinet,  to  prevent  the  meeting. 

I  know  nothing  you  can  do  of  any  value,  except  to  pass 
a  Penitentiary  bill. 

It  may  be  that  the  Congress,  which  it  is  believed  will 
meet  this  week,  may  put  such  construction  on  the  recon- 
struction acts  or  pass  other  acts  for  our  government  as 
may  prevent  your  assembling. 

PiTTSBOEO. 


To  John  ^yilIiam 


s. 


July  1  IS  67. 


Yours  of  the  24:  ult.  is  before  me. 

Xorth  Carolina  is  most  anxious  for  emigration  of  in-  Desire  for  immi- 

"  gration. 

dustrious  men  from  any  where  save  Africa.  They  ^vould 
be  gi'eeted  and  every  thing  done  to  make  their  settlement 
among  us  agreeable — but  our  people  are  so  discouraged 
and  depressed  by  the  legislation  of  Congress,  w^hereby  we 
are  required  as  the  less  of  the  evils  in  store  for  us,  to  make 
a  new  Constitution  in  effect  placing  the  entire  govern- 
ment of  the  State  under  the  control  of  the  most  ignorant 
and  degraded  of  our  people  and  disfranchising  nearly  all 
those  whose  experience  and  intelligence  fit  them  to  take 
part  in  governmental  affairs,  that  little  interest  is  felt  in 


990  ISToKTH  Carolina  Historical  CoiiMissiOix. 

iiiinor  matters.  We  have  no  reason  to  expect  that  any 
action  of  this  State  toucliing  the  subject  to  which  you 
call  my  attention  would  be  treated  by  New  York  with  the 
slightest  respect, 
caroima"*^  ^^^^^  There  are  no  people  in  the  United  States  more  anxious 
than  the  people  of  jSTorth  Carolina  to  submit  to  the  laws 
and  constitution  of  the  U.  S.,  and  to  restore  the  fraternal 
relations  with  the  other  States  which  existed  before  the 
late  war — but  it  is  difficult  to  conceive  of  any  measures 
better  calculated  to  distress  and  discourage  our  people, 
and  to  keep  alive  and  engender  alienation  than  the  meas- 
ures of  the  Congress  which  seem  to  be  in  consonance  with 
the  will  of  the  people  in  the  dominant  States.  With  con- 
tinual threats  of  confiscating  the  little  we  have  left  and 
the  overthrow  of  all  semblance  of  civil  government — and 
with  our  land  swarming  with  emissaries  black  and  white, 
seeking  for  party  ascendency  to  consolidate  the  negro  vote 
for  the  radicals — thereby  producing  alienation  between 
the  races; — and  likely  sooner  or  later  to  result  in  the 
extermination  of  the  one  race  by  the  other — it  is  impos- 
sible that  our  people  can  take  in  interest  in  minor  sub- 
jects of  legislation.  Very  many  of  our  people  are  en- 
tirely despondent,  and  I  fear  cannot  be  induced  to  register 
and  vote. 

ISTew  York  City. 


From  Josiali  Turner,  Jr. 

CoMPAXY  Shops,  K  C,  July  1,  1867. 

It  is  a  matter  of  much  concern  to  me  that  I  see  Winston 
and  Dr.  Ramsay  before  final  action — which  I  hope  you 
will  be  able  to  bring  about.  I  shall  be  down  on  Wednes- 
day. 

[P.  S.] — Boyden  is  not  here  and  Morehead  said  he 
had  gone  to  the  West  to  remain  until  September. 


CORKESPONDENCE    OF    JONATHAN    WoRTH.  991 

To  Nathaniel  Boyden. 

Raleigpi,  July  3  1867. 
In  not  recommending  vour  re-api3ointment  as  a  Diree-  Explanation  of  his 

not  having  been  re- 
tor  on  the  jST.  C.  R.  R.,  it  is  due  to  vou  to  say  that  I  have  appointed  a  Rail- 

'  ,j  </  roml  Director 

been  influenced  solely  by  the  fact  that  the  Journals  of  the 
board  show  that  you  have  attended  the  meetings  of  the 
board  only  4  out  of  12  sittings.  For  the  same  reason  I 
have  not  re-nominated  Mr.  Strange.  I  presume  your,  at- 
tendance on  the  Courts  or  other  duties  you  deemed  more 
urgent,  have  caused  this. 

I  desire  it  distinctly  understood  that  nothing  has  oc- 
curred to  impair  my  confidence  in  your  eminent  fitness 
for  the  position,  but  solely  because  I  desire  to  appoint  as 
directors  men  who  can  attend  to  the  duties  of  the  appoint- 
ment. 

Salisbury. 


To  R.  Strange. 

Raleigh,  July  3rd  1867. 
It  having  been  represented  to  the  Board  of  Internal  Im-  Explaining  his 

®  ^  failure  to  be  re-ap- 

provement  that  you  and  Mr.  Boyden  (owing,  as  I  pre-  g^j-eptor'^  ^^^^^'^^"^ 
sume,  to  your  extensive  practise  of  the  law)  had  attended 
few  of  the  meetings  of  the  board,  the  board  ordered  the 
clerk  to  furnish  us  a  certified  copy  of  the  attendance  of 
each  member.  This  certificate  from  June  1866  to  July 
1867  both  inclusive,  sets  forth  10  sittings  of  the  board, 
only  four  of  which  you  attended.  We  have  deemed  it  our 
duty  to  appoint  stockholders,  (in  place  of  you  and  Mr. 
Boyden)  whose  business  and  large  stock,  we  hope,  will 
induce  them  to  attend  the  meetings. 
Wilmington. 


992  XoRTir  Cakoi.ina  Historical  Commission. 

From  B.  S.  Hedrick.' 

WASiiixGTo^r,  D.  C.  July  3,  1867. 
Plans  of  Recoil-  Both  houses  met  today.      The  proi»;ram  seems  to  be  to 

struction.  ^  i       o 

appoint  a  joint  committee  of  the  two  houses  to  prepare  a 
supplemental  reconstruction  bill  and  put  it  through  at 
once.  It  is  of  the  utmost  importance  to  bring  all  proper 
influences  to  bear  on  that  Committee.  If  Judge  Barnes, 
or  any  other  citizen  of  N.  C,  desires  to  have  any  influence 
on  what  is  to  be  done,  now  is  the  time  to  be  here.  The 
first  draft  of  the  new  bill  will  probably  go  in  Monday 
next.  Please  say  what  I  have  written  above  to  Gov.  Worth 
and  such  other  gentlemen  as  you  may  meet.  There  may 
be  a  few  men  willing  to  come  on  to  talk  to  Senators. 

My  son  Jolmy  will  I  think  reach  your  city  Saturday 
evening,  and  will  call  to  see  vou. 


From  B.  G.  Worth. 

IsTew  York  July  3/67. 
I  am  in  receipt  of  your  late  favor  and  have  been  sorry 
I  troubled  you  with  this  Coffin  matter.  I  was  using  every 
effort  to  get  it  settled  on  the  best  basis  that  can  be,  by 
gently  intimating  where  they  will  stand  before  a  Court 
of  Justice,  where  it  must  go  if  they  decline  to  secure  the 
bulk  of  it.  Every  day  adds  to  the  conviction  with  me 
that  as  a  nation  we  have  seen  our  best  days,  and  that  the 
Ben  Wade  doctrine  will  sweep  over  the  Country  and  the 
universally  franclilsed  will  utterly  refuse  to  be  taxed  to 
pay  the  l^ational  debt.  The  ISTational  Banks  will  consume 
into  smoke  and  we  shall  have  anarchy  and  general  ruin. 
How  to  prepare  for  it  or  guard  against  it  is  too  much  for 
the  wisdom  of  the  wisest.  My  only  hope  is  that  Grant 
will  prove  himself  a  man  and  not  allow  either  of  the  Cor- 


1  This  letter  was  probably  written  to  W.  H.  Bagley. 


Coi?liESPO>;DEXCE    OF    JoXATTIAN    WOKTII.  993 

rupt  Parties  of  the  Counti'j  to  iiiaiii[)ulate  liiiu,  but  be 
the  candidate  of  the  best  people  of  all  sections  and  govern 
as  he  could  do  and  as  no  other  rnan  in  my  opinion  in  the 
republic — can,  by  controlling  all  parties.  Did  I  say  He- 
public  ?  I  take  that  back.  We  are  not  a  Republic  now.  I 
have  heard, of  your  ill  success  in  your  fishing  excursions. 
I  am  very  sorry  to  hear  that  Dr.  Roberts  is  in  feeble 
health.  We  are  well  and  constant  employment  keeps  us 
up  and  in  great  measure  from  despondency. 

I  must  go  to  iST.  C.  this  month.  I  may  possibly  come 
by  and  stop  one  day  in  Raleigh.  I  am  concerned  about 
J.  A.  Worth's  affairs  and  would  like  to  know  how  to  advise 
him.  I  want  to  make  such  arrangements  as  will  gTiaranty 
business  for  our  Boats.  We  must  make  them  pay.  I  am 
clearly  of  the  opinion  that  J.  A.  Worth  ought  to  sell  to 
us  to  wdiom  he  is  indebted  his  home  place  and  what  will 
secure  us  and  enable  us  to  secure  him  a  home  and  then 
go  into  Bankruptcy  at  once.  They  will  not  count  with 
him  here  and  of  course  he  can  not  pay  and  ought  to  shake 
it  oif  while  he  can.  It  may  be  that  the  subject  was  talked 
over  between  you  while  on  your  late  visit.  If  not  and 
you  can  get  the  time  w^rite  me  to  care  of  Worth  &  Daniel 
that  I  may  use  your  opinion  with  your  owii  in  advising 
with  him.  If  you  talked  with  him  then  throw  this  by 
and  give  it  no  thought.  I  begin  to  feel  like  we  have  not 
lost  all  and  are  perfectly  sound  and  wall  come  out  all 
right,  but  w^e  have  had  a  siege.  I  am  not  entirely  satisfied 
with  my  copartners  but  might  do  much  worse  and  can 
see  my  interest  at  present  to  continue  rather  than  attempt 
to  change. 


From  John  Goodricli. 

ExFiELD,  ^.  C.  July  Mil  1S67. 
Governor.:  It  seems  to  me  that  the  Black  Republicans  Political  sugges 

I  tions. 

are  losing  ground.     I  would  like  to  know  if  you  do  not 
Vol.  2—22 


994  XoKlIl     ('.VIIOLIXA    ITlSTOKlCAL     (\)MMISSION. 

think  so.  There  a])pears  to  be  some  sensation  of  uneasi- 
ness aniono-  the  liadicals.  All  we  white  folks  down  here 
have  concluded  we  don't  want  any  convention  nor  recon- 
struction either.  We  are  willin<;-  to  hold  on  a  little  lon^'er 
and  see  if  the  most  infernal  of  all  ])arti(s  will  not  commit 
suicide.  It  seems  to  me  sir  that  a  ])lan  mii^'ht  be  devised 
to  overturn  the  Black  Kepublican  Kuni}).  Let  me  suggest 
a  })lan.  ''Su})pose  a  ]nirty  be  formed,  and  adopt  this 
motto  '■  White  Jleptihticaii  Union  Party/'  Sir  can  you  not 
contemplate  what  would  be  the  result.  I  think  that  the 
Blach  Republicans  would  at  once  become  ashamed  of  their 
position,  and  that  there  would  1)0  such  a  backsliding  as 
the  world  never  witnessed  before.  I  think  too  Sir,  that 
in  less  than  two  years  and  a  half  the  negroes,  and  them 
alone,  would  compose  what  is  now  known  as  the  Black 
Republican  Party:  would  not  every  white  foreigner  com- 
ing into  this  country  hereafter  join  the  wJiitc  man  party? 
I  think  so.  Sir  a  white  republican  union  party  ought  to 
be  organized  at  once.  The  desired  effect  would  soon  be 
seen,  and  it  Avould  l)e  tremendous.  This  I  offer  as  a  sug- 
gestion, and  desire  to  see  it  put  on  foot.  You  perceive 
that  all  turns  on  the  terms  White  and  Union.  These 
terms  would  give  us  all  the  advantage.  As  to  the  negro 
vote,  if  indeed  they  should  vote,  we  must  influence  it.  If 
we  can  keep  the  enemy  off  a  little  longer,  his  cause  will 
perish. 

[P.  S.] — The  White  Republican  union  party  should 
be  organized  first  in  the  ISTorth.  Will  you  sui>'gest  it  to 
some  proper  person  of  your  a(Mpuiiutanc?  there. 


From  I).  (J.  McEae  to  Seaioii  Gales. 

FoKT  Macox  July  Gtli  1867. 
Concerning  his  J  havc  private  inf(U"mation   as  well  as    public  by    the 

approaching  trial.  .      .  „  •    i    • 

Sentinel  that  the  military  commission  for  my  trial  is  to 
convene  in  vour  citv  on  the  10th  of  this  month. 


CORKESPOXDENCE    OF    JONATHAM    WoiJTll.  995 

These  military  courts  move  slowly  and  I  lear  iiiiles:- 
some  of  my  friends  intercede  with  the  proper  officer  who 
will  have  me  in  charge,  that  I  may  be  subjected  to  con- 
finement in  some  dirty  place,  as  the  "Bull  pen"  is  repre- 
sented to  be. 

Xow  would  it  be  imposing  too  much  on  your  kindness, 
to  ask  you,  to  get  Gov.  Worth  to  join  you  and  Col.  Banford 
on  this  subject. 

I  have  been  very  kindly  cared  for  thus  far,  and  as  I 
expect  to  establish  my  entire  innocence  of  the  charge  im- 
puted to  me,  it  would  be  grateful  to  myself  as  well  as  my 
friends  to  know,  that  I  have  not  been  thrust  into  any  dirty 
cell,  among  vermin,  cut-throats,  and  thieves. 

Please  if  you  can,  see  Gov.  Worth  immediately  and  fix 
matters.  For  particular  and  special  reasons,  I  do  not 
want  to  fall  into  the  further  power  of  Genl.  Avery.  He 
and  I  had  a  private  misunderstanding  in  his  first  visit 
to  Fayetteville,  I  parted  with  a  threat  from  him,  that  I 
should  suffer — tJiat  niglit,  the  afiidavit  of  the  base  wretch 
was  obtained,  which  caused  my  arrest,  and  verily  tJie 
threat  of  Avery  has  come  to  pass — I  have  suifered — for 
an  old  man  of  sixty  years. 


To  R.  P.  Did: 

Raleigh  July  7  1S67. 
To  carrv  out  the   resolutions   passed  here  on  the  4:th,  P'ansof  the  North 

^'  ^  Carohna  Radicals. 

calling  for  an  Act  of  Congress  to  abolish  civil  government 
in  the  State  a  committee  consisting  of  Calvin  Cowles  and 
several  other  persons  white  and  black,  left  to-day  for 
Washington.  They  oppose  leaving  any  discretion  in  the 
military  commandants.  They  demand  an  act  peremptorily 
dismissing  all  the  civil  officers  of  the  State. 

They  allege  as  one  of  their  chief  reasons  for  this  action, 
that  Gov.  Graham  and  mvself  and  others  are  machinating 


996  XoKTii  Carolina  Historical  Commissiojn. 


I 


to  defeat  the  call  of  a  Convention,  and  that  li.  K.  direc- 
tors liave  been  apjDointed  in  reference  to  their  political 
views. 

I  have  not  attempted  to  influence  the  vote  of  any  citi- 
zen for  or  against  the  call  of  a  Convention  and  have  no 
intention  to  do  so.  I  have  not  heard  of  any  scheme 
adopted,  or  in  contemplation  by  any  body,  to  induce  the 
people  to  vote  against  a  Convention, — and  I  do  not  know 
and  have  not  heard  that  one  single  man  appointed  a  Direc- 
tor on  the  R.  Rs.  proposes  to  vote  against  Convention. 
ISTot  a  Director  has  been  appointed  with  any  reference 
whatever  to  his  views  as  to  the  re-construction  acts.  I 
have  cooperated  with  Genl  Sickles  to  carry  out  in  good 
faith  the  re-construction  acts,  as  has  every  other  civil  offi- 
cer, so  far  as  I  know.  And  I  believe  9-10  of  those  en- 
titled to  register  will  vote  for  Convention. 

I  would  regard  it  as  a  very  great  calamity — alike  mis- 
chievous to  the  State  and  the  nation,  if  all  vestige  of  civil 
government  were  suddenly  obliterated. 

I  wish  you  to  go  to  Washington  at  once  to  co-operate 
with  Hedrick,  Goodloe  and  others  to  prevent  the  great 
calamity  w^hich  seems  to  be  in  store  for  us.  If  you  go, 
your  expenses  wall  be  paid. 

You  may  use  this  letter  as  you  please. 

I  had  not  decided  on  this  measure  until  mail  hour  is  - 
so  near  that  I  have  been  compelled  to  write  very  briefly 

Greensboro. 


To  B.  S.  Hedrich 

Raleigh,  July  8th  1861. 
Plans  of  North  I  understand   Calvin   Cowles   and   others   are  gone  to 

Carolina  Radicals.  ,     ,.    .  -      .    .,  i        •,•  jr 

Washington  to  ask  for  the  abolition  of  civil  authorities  oi 
this  State,  on  the  ground  that  I  and  Gov.  Graham  and 
others  are  using  our  influence  to  defeat  the  call  of  a  Con- 
vention and  that  1  have  had  this  in  view  in  the  appoint- 


Correspondence  of  Jonathan  Worth.  997 

ment  of  E.  E.  directors.  I  have  not  used  and  do  not  in- 
tend to  nse  any  inflnence  to  induce  the  people  to  vote  for 
or  against  Convention.  ISTo  schemes  to  defeat  the  call  of 
a  Convention  are  on  foot.  I  have  co-operated  in  good 
faith  with  Genl.  Sickles  in  carrying  out  the  re-construction 
acts,  as  I  believe  have  all  our  people.  There  is  not  color 
of  truth  as  to  appointment  of  E.  E.  Directors.  An  im- 
mense majority  will  vote  for  Convention. 

Washington^  D.  C. 


To  B.  8.  HedricJc. 

July  8th  1867. 
A  desperate  effort  is  beino-  made  by  Mr.  Holden  and  Plans  <.f  xorth 

'-  ....  Carolina  Radicals. 

his  followers  to  have  the  existing  civil  Government  set 
aside  and  pure  military  government  established.  A  reso- 
lution to  this  effect  was  proposed  at  a  large  Convocation 
of  negroes  assembled  liere  on  the  4th  in  which  Holden  and 
a  few  whites  of  his  stripe  officiated.  If  this  scheme  of 
malevolence,  on  the  part  of  Holden  shall  be  successful,  the 
cup  of  our  misfortunes  will  be  full.  Can  it  be  possible, 
that  in  a  State,  where,  even  upon  the  testimony  of  Genl. 
Sickles,  perfect  order  j)revails — where  the  civil  authori- 
ties have  not  only  offered  no  resistance  to  Congressional 
plans  of  re-construction — that  where  every  civil  officer 
as  well  as  every  citizen  has  obej^ed  every  order  which  has 
been  issued  by  the  military  commandant,  that  Congress 
shall  deem  it  expedient,  upon  the  representation  of  such 
a  political  Assemblage  to  blot  out  all  semblance  of  self 
government.  If  so,  no  one  can  be  so  blind  as  not  to  see 
that  its  effect  would  be  the  reverse  of  attracting  our  peo- 
ple to  the  JSTational  Government.  This  assemblage  was 
got  up  under  color  of  celebrating  the  great  N'ational  Anni- 
versary, but  no  one  doubts  that  through  the  agency  of 
the  secret  political  leagues  among  the  negroes,  tolerated 
if  not  encouraged  by  the  dominant  power  of  the  ]N"ational 


998  XoETH  Carolina  Histokical  Commission. 

Goveninieiit,  wurkiii<>-  politicians  got  up  the  meeting  for 
the  purj^ose  of  passing  tlie  resohitions  tliej'  did  pass.  A 
committee  of  six,  three  white  and  three  bhick,  headed  by 
Calvin  Cowles  of  Wilkes,  were  appointed  to  go  to  Wash- 
ington and  press  this  resolution  upon  the  favorable  con- 
sideration of  Congress.  If  they  have  not  already  started 
they  will  probably  leave  to-day.  If  Holden  succeeds  in 
this  scheme,  which  seems  not  unlikely,  his  malevolence 
will  be  gratified,  but  civil  liberty  in  this  State  will  have 
received  a  shock  which  will  be  most  disastrous. 

I  hope  you  and  Mr.  Goodloe,  to  whom  I  wish  you  to 
show  this  letter,  will  entitle  yourselves  to  the  further 
gratification  of  Xortli  Carolina,  by  employing  the  most 
efficient  means  in  your  power,  to  defeat  this  scheme. 

If  this  measure  be  adopted  I  fear  we  shall  be  unable 
to  get  our  people  to  register  or  take  any  further  part  in 
elections. 

Washington^  D.  C. 


To  J.  M.  Coffin. 

July  Sth  1S67. 
Recommending  ]\Xy  friend  Jo.  Turuer  is  most  urgent  upon  me,  to  ask 

Jo8iah  Turner.  •  '^  ^  ' 

you  the  favor  to  vote  for  him  for  Prest.  of  the  1^.  C.  R.  R. 

If  I  were  called  upon  to  cast  a  vote,  I  would  vote  for 
him  as  against  any  other  person  whom  I  have  heard  as 
competing  for  the  office,  under  the  belief  that  he  would 
be  the  best  and  most  efficient  officer,  but  I  have  nominated 
no  one  as  a  Director,  under  any  pledge  as  to  his  vote  for 
President,  nor  have  I  made,  nor  do  I  deem  it  proper  to 
make  any  request  of  any  director. 

I  wish  each  Director  to  consider  himself  untrammeled 
by  any  interference  on  my  part.  I  have  appointed  a  set 
of  Directors  who  are  qualified  and  willing,  as  I  hope,  to 
manage  the  road  in  the  best  manner,  and  no  Director  must 
shelter  himself,  for  any  of  his  acts,  under  cover  of  any 
request  from  me. 


COEKESPONDENCE    OF    JONATHAN    WoRTH.  999 

I  have  become  more  and  more  averse  to  selling  the  drug 
store  on  a  credit, — however  good  the  security.  I  deem  it 
safer  to  go  into  a  co-partnership  with  Ponclston  on  the 
terms  I  suggested  in  your  presence.  If  he  will  do  his  part 
properly,  it  will  be  a  better  management  for  him  and  me, 
than  a  sale  on  a  credit,  if  he  could  have  given  the  security. 
Dr.  Uoberts  seems  cheered  up  and  much  better.  I  fear  it 
is  only  temporary. 

Salisbury. 


To  General  D.  E.  SieMes. 

Juhj  0th  1SG7. 
I  learned  last  night  that  much  i)ains  is  beins;  taken  to  Defending  his  atti- 

'"  .  .  tude  on  Recon- 

make  the  impression,  that  1  have  been  using  my  influence  stmction. 
to  induce  the  people  of  this  Si  ate  to  vote  against  Conven- 
tion. It  is  due  to  myself  and  the  people  of  the  State  to 
say  that  I  have  not  attempted  to  use  any  such  iufluence 
to  control  the  votes  of  the  people  on  any  question  on  which 
they  will  be  called  upon  to  vote  under  the  reconstruction 
Acts.  I  have  had  it  in  contemplation  to  publish  an  ad- 
dress to  the  people  urging  all  to  register  who  may  be  al- 
lowed to  do  so  and  to  exercise  the  franchise  as  they  may 
deem  best  for  the  general  welfare. 

I  have  deemed  it  my  duty  to  co-operate  with  you  in 
carrying  out  these  acts  fairly  and  honestly. 

I  am  also  informed  that  the  impression  is  sought  to  be 
made  that  Gov.  Graham  and  others  are  endeavoring  to 
concoct  measures  to  defeat  the  call  of  a  Convention.  There 
is  no  color  of  foundation  for  this,  as  to  me,  nor  as  to 
others,  so  far  as  I  know  or  have  heard  I  have  not  heard 
of  any  movement  on  the  part  of  those  wdio  approved  of 
the  President's  plan  of  reconstruction,  and  who  disap- 
proved of  the  Congressional  plan,  to  throw  any  obstacles 
in  the  way  of  carrying  out  the  latter  plan,  and  I  am  sure 
no  attempt  has  been  made  or  is  in  contemplation  to  get 
up  any  such  concerted  movement. 


1000  North  Carolina  Historical  Commission. 

I  deem  it  probable  that  the  foregoing  and  probably  other 
misrepresentations  intended  to  alienate  the  confidence  yon 
Iiave  liitherto  exhibited  towards  me,  have  been  made  to 
you,  which  I  trust  will  not  be  allowed  to  operate  to  my 
prejudice,  until  I  shall  have  had  an  opportunity  to  be 
heard. 

Charleston. 


To  B.  S.  Iledrick. 

July  9th  1S67. 
piansofNorth  I  learn  from  a  reliable  source  that  Mr.  C.  J.   Cowles, 

Carolnia  Radicals.  ' 

who  has  gone  to  your  city  to  get  the  Congress  to  displace 
the  civil  officers  of  the  State,  urges  two  chief  reasons — 
first,  that  I,  Gov.  Graham,  Judge  Manly  and  other  prom- 
inent men  are  using  our  infiuence  to  induce  the  people 
to  vote  against  Convention — second — that  we  have  been 
concocting  some  concerted  plan  to  carry  out  our  design. 

I  approved  the  President's  views  as  to  restoration  and 
disapproved  the  Congressional  plan  as  is  well  known;  but 
I  felt  it  my  duty,  after  the  re-construction  acts  passed,  to 
recognise  them  as  laws  and  faithfully  and  fairly  to  aid  in 
their  execution,  I  felt  myself  officially  bound  to  recognise 
them  as  constitutional,  until  they  should  be  repealed  or 
decided  to  be  unconstitutional  by  the  Supreme  Court  of 
the  IT.  S. — and  such  decision  I  have  not  expected  would 
be  made  before  the  acts  would  be  carried  into  execution. 

I  decided  that  I  would  co-operate  honestly  with  the  mili- 
tary authority  in  making  proper  registers  and  in  all  other 
particulars  as  1  understood  these  laws — and  that  T  would 
use  no  influence  in  any  thing,  save  to  induce  the  people 
to  register.  I  have  not  used  and  do  not  contemplate  using, 
any  influence  as  to  ths  voting  of  the  people  after  regis- 
tration. And  I  know  of  no  intention  on  the  part  of  any 
body  to  get  up  any  plan  to  defeat  the  call  of  a  Conven- 
tion, and  have  no  idea  that  any  such  plan  exists. 


Correspondence  of  Jonathan  Worth.  1001 

WLetlier  under  the  act  now  contemplated,  leaving  regis- 
tration to  the  discretion  of  the  Registers,  I  shall  deem  it 
mv  duty  to  recommend  the  people  to  apply  for  registration 
I  reserve  for  consideration  until  I  shall  see  the  form  the 
act  may  assume. 

You  are  at  liberty  to  use  this  letter  as  you  please, — by 
which  I  do  not  mean  that  you  have  it  published.  I  do 
not  deem  it  expedient,  at  present,  to  get  the  matter  into 
the  press. 

In  1861  I  voted  against  the  call  of  what  I  regarded  as 
an  unconstitutional  Convention.  I  have  not  deemed  it 
necessary  to  come  to  any  decision,  whether,  if  I  were  al- 
lowed a  vote,  Avhich  I  am  not,  I  would  vote  for  or  against 
the  proposed  Convention.  I  may  have  expressed  in  pri- 
vate conversation  that  I  could  not  see  how  I  could  vote 
for  the  proposed  Convention,  consistently  Avith  my  oath 
to  support  the  Constitution  of  the  U.  S.,  but  I  have  never 
expressed  such  sentiment  as  a  fixed  conclusion  and  never 
with  the  intention  to  influence  any  body  or  with  permis- 
sion to  promulgate  such  conversation. 

I  am  as  anxious  as  any  man  in  America,  to  see  har- 
monious Union  restored  and  the  Constitution  of  the  U. 
S.  obeyed  and  reverenced  by  the  whole  people. 

Washington^  D.  C. 


To  Lewis  J.  Quin. 

July  9  1S67. 
Yours  of  May  1/67  was  received  with  highly  compli- 
mentary introduction  from   F.   P.    Satterthwaite   and   T. 
Sparrow. 

If  it  were  in  my  power,  under  existing  laws,  to  do  any- 
thing in  furtherance  of  your  suggestions,  or  if  the  present 
political  prospects  warranted  any  well  founded  hope  of 
improvement  in  the  early  future,  I  should  exert  myself 


1002  jSToKTH  Caeolixa  Historical  Commission. 

ill  the  (.lirectioii  indicated.     In  the  present  state  of  aitairs 
I  can  liave  no  hope  for  the  successful  issue  of  any  move- 
ment, on  the  part  of  X.  Car.,  looking  to  immigration. 
Xkw  Yokk  City. 


From  P.  T.  Henry. 

CoLEKAix^  Bertie  County. 

Permit  me  to  ask  you  if  in  your  oj)inion  the  Legislature 
will  be  permitted  to  assemble  next  month  (Augt.)  and  if 
so  what  length  of  time  it  is  likely  to  be  in  Session  ? 

I  ask  this  information  of  you  Gov.,  l)ecause  from  your 
opinion  I  should  make  up  my  mind  as  to  whether  I  shall 
attend  the  Session. 

I  am  having  but  little  to  say  or  do  with  politics,  but 
have  no  hesitation  in  savino;  that  I  belong  heart  and  soul 
only  to  the  white  man's  party — God  and  my  own  race 
first — Please  present  the"  compliments  of  my  wife  and  self 
to  your  family.  Hatie  says  she  is  very  anxious  to  see  your 
little  crand  daughter  Marv  Worth. 


From  B.  S.  IledricJc. 

AVashixgtox,  D.  C.  .lull/  11,  G7. 
North  Carolina  Yours  of  the  9th  received.     Evervthine:  here  is  still  in 

Radical  opinion.  ^  ^ 

a  chaotic  state.  For  several  days  I  have  been  too  ill  to 
exert  myself  much,  but  I  am  doing  what  I  can  to  give 
correct  information.  The  several  delegations  from  ]^.  C. 
are  here  today,  and  a  number  of  them  have  called  at  ray 
room.  Calvin  J.  Cowles  of  Wilkes  is  in  a  great  fever 
over  a  mob  which  he  is  informed  occurred  at  Wilkes- 
borough  on  the  fourth  of  July.  According  to  the  account 
which  he  showed   me  the  ''rebs"  under  the  lead  of  Col. 


I 


CORKESPOJSTDENCE    OF    J  ONATIIAA'    WoKTIl.  1003 

Arnitield  or  Annstrong-,  a  Mr.  Cannicliael,  PeJen  and 
some  half  dozen  other  "fighting  rebs"  broke  up  the  "union 
celebration"  of  the  4th,  and  shot,  wounded,  and  completely 
routed  the  whole  meetiug.  Cowles  thinks  that  if  he  had 
been  there  he  would  have  been  Icilled.  I  suppose  he  will 
lay  the  whole  matter  before  Congress,  and  ask  for  aid  to 
suppress  the  '"rebs."  I  told  him  that  I  thought  that  the 
union  men  were  too  tame,  to  submit  to  a  rout  from  a  dozen 
or  so  "rebs".  I  would  like  really  to  know  what  the  truth 
of  the  matter  is.  It  seems  that  the  disturbers  insisted 
that  Col.  Armfield  should  have  a  chance  to  speak  at  the 
meeting,  which  being  refused,  he  and  his  followers  broke 
up  the  "Celebration." 

Mr.  Cawthorne,  (colored)  of  Warren  is  also  here.  He 
takes  a  hopeful  view  of  things  in  his  section.  Thinks  the 
"rebs"  accept  in  good  faith  the  reconstruction  act.  C.  L. 
Harris  is  also  here,  but  I  have  not  seen  him.  Take  it  all 
in  all  these  men  here  are  the  most  mixed  up  set  I  have 
seen.  If  Congress  would  only  take  the  trouble  to  sift 
them,  they  w^ould  amount  to  nothing.  But  unfortunately 
I  fear  this  will  not  be  done.  The  men  who  ought  to  be 
here  to  meet  the  members  of  Congress  are  not  here.  Why 
is  it  that  men  like  Judge  Merrimon,  Gilliam,  Warren,  Bat- 
tle, Pearson,  Fowde,  Buxton  are  not  here  ?  At  least  some 
of  them  ? 

I  hope  I  shall  be  better  tomorrow. 


To  General  D.  E.  SicMes. 

July  11  1867. 
By  some  accident  or  inadvcrtance,  as  I  suppose,  your 
order  to  Col.  Bomford  to  surrender  to  me  the  executive 
mansion  and  premises,  has  not  reached  him,  as  he  informs 
me,  so  that  he  does  not  feel  at  liberty  to  put  me  in  ]mis- 
sessiou. 


1004  North  Carolina  Historical  Commission. 

As  I  received  from  you  a  telegram  that  such  order  had 
issued,  I  hope  a  duplicate  will  be  sent  to  the  Colonel. 

The  liberal  and  just  sentiments  expressed  by  you,  (as 
set  forth  in  a  telegram  of  yesterday)  in  a  letter  to  Senator 
Trumbull,  enlighten  our  people. 

Charleston,  S.  C. 


To  P.  T.  Henry. 

July  11th  1867. 
Rpsardintr  the  Yours,  without  date,   inquiring  whether  the  Genl.  A. 

Gl^nena  Assembly,  will  meet  3rd  Monday  of  August,  is  just  reed.  I  have 
no  reliable  information  whether  Genl.  Sickles  will  forbid 
the  assembling  or  not.  I  presume  power  will  be  conferred 
on  him  by  the  Congress  to  control  all  the  civil  affairs  of 
the  State.  I  have  written  him  to  know  whether  he  has 
come  to  any  decision,  as  it  is  important  that  members 
know,  as  early  as  possible,  whether  they  will  be  allowed 
to  assemble  and  legislate. 

I  think  the  Genl.  A.  ought  to  meet  and  pass  a  Peni- 
tentiary bill.  I  know  of  nothing  else  of  any  importance 
on  wdiich  it  is  now  expedient  that  the  Legislature  act. 

I  fear  the  black  and  white  negro  will  become  the  con- 
trolling power  of  the  State,  under  re-construction  acts  of 
Congress.  This  is  the  manifest  design  of  the  Congress : — 
and  if  our  white  men  wall  not  register  and  vote,  the  domi- 
nation of  negro  j^arty  is  enevitable. 

*  ****** 

Colerain,  Bertie  Co. 


To  Post  Master,  Pigeon  River,  N.  C. 

July  11  1S67. 

Appointment  of  ^  havQ  recd  a  letter,  signed  ''Many  Citizens,"  making 

inquiry  as  to  appointment  of  Registers  for  your  County, 
and  desiring  that  my  answer  be  directed  to  you. 

I    recommended    as    registers    for    Haywood,    James 
Owensby,  Thomas  !N^.  Long  and  Jas.  L.  Ducket. 


registers. 


COKEESPONDENCE    OF    JoNATIIAN    WoKTIl.  1005 

I  understand  that  Genl.  Miles,  Chief  of  the  Freedmen's 
Bureau  in  this  State,  forwarded  recommendations  of  one 
or  more  boards  for  each  County,  one  member  of  each  board 
being  a  negro. 

I  am  not  informed  which  recommendation  Genl  Sickles 
adopted.  I  reed  from  him  to-day  a  telegram  that  regis- 
tration in  this  State  is  postponed  to  a  time  hereafter  to 
be  made  known.  I  infer  that  it  is  postponed  until  the 
new  legislation  of  this  Congress  now  sitting  shall  be  known. 


To  P.  H.  Winston. 

July  12  1S67. 

An  act  passed  the  last  Genl.  A.  intended  to  provide  that  is&ue  of  bonds 
whenever  the  Prest.  of  the  W.  N".  C.  R.  R.  should  certify 
that  a  given  amount  of  money  had  been  subscribed  by  re- 
sponsible individuals  or  corporations,  that  the  Pub.  Tr. 
should  issue  bonds  of  the  State  for  double  such  amount. 
A  certificate  is  filed  that  $460,000.  has  been  so  subscribed 
and  bonds  to  the  amount  of  $800,000.  are  demanded. 

The  responsibility  of  the  issue  of  this  amount  of  our 
bonds  at  this  time,  is  a  very  grave  one.  I  was  not  willing 
to  sanction  the  order  without  your  approval.  The  legis- 
lation of  the  last  session  involves  an  examination  of  pre- 
vious acts,  and  I  have  not  been  able  to  give  the  matter 
the  scrutiny  which  it  should  receive  and  am  by  no  means 
sure  that  it  is  our  duty  to  issue  the  bonds.  I  have  no  doubt 
the  subscription  of  $400,000.  is  coupled  with  a  contract 
to  do  work  not  worth  more  than  $400,000.  (for  which  the 
contractors  are  to  have  $1,200,000.  in  stock  and  State 
bonds. 

I  most  earnestly  urge  that  you  come  here  very  soon  to 
assist  me  in  scrutinizing  this  matter  and  to  assume  your 
share  of  the  grave  responsibility  of  the  Board  of  Intl  Im- 
provements. 

KiTTEELL''s  Springs. 


1006  North  Cakolijva  Historical  Commission. 

From  B.  S.  Iledrich. 

Washington,  D.  C.  July  12,  67. 

So  far  I  think  Ilolden's  dolegatioii  amounts  to  notliini>'. 
It  looks  now  as  if  the  Senate  bill  passed  yesterday  will 
go  thi-oiigh  Congress.  It  is  in  a  hurry  to  get  away. 

I  feel  a  little  more  hopeful  than  I  did  yesterday,  hut 

while  all  the  leading  men  seem  in  favor  of  taking  oif  the 

disfranchising   parts    of   the    reconstruction    acts,   no   one 

will  move  it.     The  only  thing  at  all  looking  like  modera- 

.    tion  is  the  requiring  Gen.  Grant's  approval  of  removals. 


To  W.  TI.  Seward. 

July  22  1867. 
Asking  aid  in  Qf  our  fuiids  to  suoport  commoii  schools  the  war  anni- 

seeunng  immigra-  ^  ^ 

^^•'"-  hilated  all  save  $600,000.  in  the  stock  of  the  Wilmington 

and  Weldon  and  Wilmington  and  Manchester  R.  Rs.  and 
some  $1,000,000.  in  our  ante-bellum  bonds.  These  roads 
are  well  equipped  and  in  good  order  and  doing  much  busi- 
ness but  so  crippled  with  debt  that  they  make  no  dividends. 
If  our  political  trouble  were  composed  on  a  rational  basis 
these  stocks  would  revive. 

We  have  had  an  annual  income  of  about  $10,000.  aris- 
ing from  tax  on  retailers.  This  will  probably  be  reduced 
to  a  nominal  sum,  by  reason  of  late  edicts  of  Genl.  Sickles. 

The  Literary  board,  of  wdiich  board  the  Gov.  is  ex- 
officio  Chm.,  owns  about  1,500,000  acres  of  Sw^amp  lands 
which  they  are  authorised  to  sell  and  invest  for  the  sup- 
port of  common  schools. 

We  believe  these  lands  to  be  exceedingly  valuable,  and 
with  the  hope  of  finding  purchasers  have  published  a 
pamjihlet  describing  them.  I  inclose  a  copy.  We  would 
like  to  get  some  of  them  in  the  hands  of  suitable  persons 
in  England  and  Ireland, — and  our  consuls  and  other  resi- 


I 


CoRRESPO.\DE:SfCE    OF    JONATHAN    WoKTII.  1007 

dent  officers  in  Cievinanv.  I  do  not  know  tlie  names  of 
these  officers.  Will  it  be  asking  too  much  of  yon,  if  we 
send  yon  a  jiackage  of  them,  to  have  them  directed  and 
forwarded  abroad,  to  such  persons  as  you  may  think 
would  be  willing  and  disposed  to  aid  us  ? 

The  sale  of  these  lands  is  our  only  resource  for  reviving 
Common  Schools,  which,  dependent  as  we  are,  we  are 
most  anxious  to  do.  We  have  public  school  houses  ac- 
cessible to  every  child  in  the  State,  unoccupied  and  going 
to  decay. 

I  am  most  reluctant  to  ask  this  favor  of  you  and  shall 
not  feel  the  less  obliged  for  past  favors  if  I  shall  have 
asked  an  unreasonable  favor  of  you  in  this  instance. 

Washington^  D.  C. 


To  James  L.  Orr. 

July  22nd  1S67. 

In  conference  with  Genl.  Sickles  at  Charleston,  I  un-  cod coming  resig- 
nation of  Judge 
derstood  him  to  say  he  should  not  interfere  with  but  would  Merrimon. 

leave   with  the  Governors   all   the   appointments  to   office 

which  the  Constitution  and  Laws  of  our  respective  States 

authorise  the  Governor  to  fill.     I  do  not  remember  that 

he  has  published  any  thing  of  this  sort  in  his  orders.     A 

ease  is  about  to  occur  in  this  State.     A  part  of  the  official 

oath  of  our  Judges  is  in  these  words :     ^'Tn  case  any  letter 

or  orders  come  to  me  contrary  to  law\  I  will  proceed  to 

enforce  the  law,  such  letters  or  orders  notwithstanding." 

He  thinks  he  cannot  obey  the  orders  of  Genl.  Sickles  in 

conflict  with  the  laws  of  the  State,  consistently  with  this 

portion  of  the  official   oath :   and  tenders  his  resignation 

rather  than  incur  the  probable  consequences  disregarding 

these  orders. 

Whether  our  other  Judges  will  take  the  same  view  and 

resign,  I  am  not  informed.     Under  the  present  Acts  of 


1008  XoKTii   Caijolixa  TIistorical  Commission. 

Congress  the  new  appointee  must  take  the  Congressional 
teste  oath.  I  fear  if  the  filling  of  the  vacancy  or  vacancies 
be  conceded  to  me,  that  I  cannot  find  a  man  in  the  State 
fit  to  till  tlie  position,  who  can  till  the  station  respectably. 

The  judge  to  whom  I  refer,  Merrimon,  always  distin- 
guished for  his  Union  proclivities  and  universally  re- 
spected for  his  unsullied  honor  and  judicial  fairness  and 
ability,  holds  that  no  other  authority,  save  that  under 
which  he  holds  his  commission,  can  relieve  him  from  the 
requirements  of  his  oath. 

The  object,  however,  of  this  letter  is  to  inquire  whether 
yon  understood  Genl.  Sickles  as  confiding  to  us  the  filling 
of  vacancies  in  office,  where  the  Constitution  and  Laws  of 
our  respective  States  anthorise  the  Governor  to  fill  such 
vacaucj^ 

If  Genl.  Sickles  shall  be  coming  up  to  Columbia  at  any 
early  day  and  it  shall  be  agreeable  to  him  and  to  you,  I 
should  gladly  meet  you  in  further  conference.  I  am 
utterly  bewildered  and  would  most  gladly  have  a  further 
conference  with  him  and  you. 

Columbia,  S.  C. 


Political  condi 
tions  in  North 


To  John  Baxter. 

July  25th  1867. 


Terrible  as  is  our  political  situation  it  seems  to  me  it 
Carolina.  -^  g^-j|  ^^^^^^  ^^  rp^^     rpj^^  radicals  of  this  State— we  have 

a  good  many — are  even  as  vindictive  as  Stephens  or  Butler 
or  Logan,  and  as  prescriptive  as  BroT\Tilow — with  the  ne- 
groes everywhere  organised  and  secret  political  leagues — 
and  our  people  so  intimidated  or  paralysed  that  very  many 
who  are  allowed  to  vote,  will  not  register — Holden  and 
his  followers  constantly  demanding  the  total  abolition  of 
the  Civil  government,  and  every  officer  of  the  State  hold- 
ing his  position  at  the  will  of  the  military  commandant. 


COKRESPONDENCE    OF    JoNATHAiSr    WoRTII.  lOOii 

All  is  gloom  and  we  see  little  ground  to  hope  for  a  better 
state  of  things  at  any  early  day — but  much  reason  to  fear 
that  the  Revolution  has  in  store  for  us  still  greater  ills 
than  those  we  now  suffer. 

KXOXVILLE,  TeNJN". 


To  A.  C.  Haley. 

July  26  1867. 
I  inclose  pamphlet  touching  our  swamp  lands.     I  have  Describing  swamp 

"     ^  -^  lands  for  sale. 

taken  much  pains  to  free  the  title  of  the  State  from  all 
cloud,  as  to  the  lands  we  propose  to  sell.  Much  of  this 
land  was  granted  about  the  year  1795,  in  large  swamps, 
to  parties  contemplating  speculation,  who  failed  to  ac- 
complish their  views,  and  the  lands  were  subsequently  sold 
for  taxes  and  bid  in  for  the  State.  I  have  collected  and 
am  having  duly  recorded  the  deeds  showing  the  re- 
acquisition  of  these  lands  by  the  State.  We  do  not  pro- 
pose to  sell  any  where  the  slightest  cloud  rests  on  the  State 
title — and  the  Literary  Board,  a  corporation  owning  stocks 
and  property  of  large  value,  will  warrant  the  title  of  any 
land  they  may  sell. 

We  would  like  to  sell  in  a  body  the  large  swamp,  con- 
taining about  90,000  acres,  a  part  of  which  has  been 
cleared  and  is  owned  by  Mr.  Franck.  See  his  certificate. 
It  is  believed  to  be  of  immense  value.  We  would  like  it 
at  $2,  per  acre  payable  in  the  ante-bellum  bonds  of  the 
State:  and  give  satisfactory  evidence  of  our  title  and  the 
warranty  of  the  Board. 

Washiis^gton,  D.  C. 


Vol.  2—23 


1010  NoKTH  Carolina  Historical  Co^imissiox. 

To  William  A.  Uraliam. 

Ealeigii,  July  21  1867. 
■conceniiiifr  the  J  am  informed  that  you  have  been  furuished  by  Govr. 

"wain!  ^^^'''''^'^*     Swain  with  a  copy  of  his  letter  to  me  of  the  23rd  inst. 

The  portion  of  it,  if  any,  requiring  action,  is  in  these 
words  "It  only  remains  to  intimate  that  seeing  little  reason 
to  hope,  from  the  present  indications  of  public  sentiment, 
for  the  early  success  which  crowned  former  exertions,  I 
am  ready  to  give  place  to  any  one  who  can  assume  my 
position  under  more  favorable  auspices,  at  the  earliest 
period  at  which  the  board  may  be  pleased  to  designate  a 
successor," 

On  first  reading  this  I  regarded  it  as  the  expression  of 
a  wish  on  his  part  to  resign,  and  resolved  to  make  a 
strenuous  appeal  to  the  luJiole  body  of  trustees  to  meet  and 
decide  what  is  best  to  be  done.  On  a  more  careful  con- 
sideration, I  cannot  construe  it  to  amount  to  any  thing 
but  an  expression  of  his  willingness  to  resign,  if  the  Trus- 
tees think  they  can  fill  his  place  with  some  one  more  likely 
to  better  the  prospects  of  the  institution.  I  presume  there 
has  never  been  a  time  when  he  Avould  not  have  been  wil- 
ling to  resign,  upon  the  request  of  the  Trustees,  it  must 
be,  not  to  fill  a  vacancy,  but  to  consider  the  question 
whether  they  ought  to  request  Gov.  Swain  to  resign  under 
the  belief  that  they  could  supply  a  superior  likely  to  man- 
age the  University,  under  more  favorable  auspices. 

I  feel  embarrassed  as  to  the  action  I  ought  to  take, 
since  I  cannot  construe  this  letter  as  expressing  any  wish 
of  Gov.  Swain  to  resign. 

Three  of  the  prominent  members  of  the  Executive  Com- 
mittee, Bragg,  Moore  and  Bryan  are  out  of  the  city  and  I 
do  not  know  when  they  will  return. 

I  vnW  be  much  obliged  to  you  for  your  advice  as  to  the 
action  proper  to  be  taken  by  me.  I  know  no  two  men  in 
the  State  who  have  exhibited  more  constant  and  intelligent 


CORKESPONDENCE    OF    JoNxlTHAN    WOKTH.  1011 

zeal  as  trustees,  than  yourself  and  Judge  Ruffin  and  should 
be  obliged  by  any  suggestion  either  of  you  may  feel  willing 
to  make. 

I  have  inclined  to  the  opinion  for  some  time  past,  that 
Gov.  Swain,  chiefly  on  account  of  his  deafness,  ought  to 
resign,  but  if  he  should  do  so,  I  think  he  ought  to  express 
his  W'ish  to  retire,  and  not  merely  to  say  what  he  would 
always  have  said — ''I  will  resigna  if  the  Trustees  request 
it". 

HlLESBOEO. 


To  A.  S.  Merrimon. 

August  1   1S67. 
I  wrote  to  Genl.  Sickles,  inclosing  vour  resignation  on  conoerninK  ins 

resignation  from 

the  23rd  ult.  He  has  not  answered.  I  send  to-day  athenencii. 
telegram  inquiring  whether  he  has  reed  my  letter.  The 
delay  is  very  annoying.  I  have  not  accepted  your  resig- 
nation. If  he  takes  no  action  (very  improbable)  I  sup- 
pose it  would  be  your  duty  to  continue  to  discharge  your 
official  duties  until  the  resignation  shall  be  accepted.  If 
he  consult  me  as  to  a  successor  he  is  giving  me  too  little 
time. 


To  T]\  P.  Bynum. 

August  1   1867. 
Fearing  that  the  resignation  of  Judge  Merrimon,  -which  Coneernins  Judge 

-  J^"  o  :>  Merrimon  s  resig- 

he  puts  on  the  ground  that  he  cannot  obey  Genl.  S's  or-  ^^ation. 
ders  (where  they  conflict  with  the  laws  of  the  State)  con- 
sistently with  his  official  oafrh,  might  lead  to  consequences 
disastrous  to  the  best  interests  of  the  State,  I  have  not 
accepted  it,  but  inclosed  a  copy  of  it  to  Genl  Sickles  on 
23  July,  calling  his  attention  to  the  oath  our  judges  take. 
I  suggested  that  he  designate  a  day  when  he  would  meet 
all  our  judges  here,  with  the  view,  by  a  free  conference, 


1012  North  Carolina  Historical  Commission. 

of  inducing  Judge  M.  to  withdraw  liis  resignation  and  to 
avoid  further  dilKculty  to  be  apprehended  from  other  res- 
ignations. I  also  desired  to  know,  in  case  he  declined  to 
act  on  my  suggestions,  whether  he  desired  any  action  on 
my  part,  as  to  the  filling  of  the  vacancy.  Having  reed, 
no  answer  I  send  him  a  telegram  to-day  to  know  whether 
he  reed  my  letter. 

I  regretted  judge  M's  resignation  but  I  concur  with 
him  as  to  the  import  of  his  oath ;  and  in  that  view  can- 
not perceive  how  he  could  have  acted  otherwise,  as  a  con- 
scientious man,  wdth  the  apparent  certainty  that  he  would 
be  deposed  and  punished,  if  he  continued  to  act  w^ith 
fidelity  to  his  official  oath.  ISTor  do  I  see  how  any  suitable 
successor  can  be  found  who  will  not  only  take  the  same 
oath,  but  the  ''iron  clad"  superadded. 

Awful  fix.  ' 

LiNCOLNTON. 


To  J.  T.  Morehcad. 

August  1  1867. 
Judge  Merrimon's       In  somc  of  OUT  uumerous  interviews,  I  am  under  the 

resignation.  ' 

impression  that  you  told  me  you  could  take  the  oath  of  of- 
fice, popularly  kno-svn,  as  the  iron-clad. 

Judge  Merrimon  has  tendered  his  resignation,  for  the 
reason  that  he  thinks  he  cannot  obey  the  orders  of  Genl. 
Sickles,  consistently  with  his  official  oath. 

I  have  not  accepted  the  resignation,  setting  forth  the 
reason  of  the  judge  for  resigning  to  be  his  conviction  that 
he  could  not  obey  the  orders  of  Genl.  S.  consistently  with 
his  official  oath.  I  sent  a  copy  of  his  resignation  to  Genl, 
S.  on  the  23rd  ult,  to  which  I  have  received  no  reply.  I 
invited  him  to  a  conference  with  Judge  M.  and  our  other 
judges,  in  the  hope  of  avoiding  total  disorganization. 

It  is  possible  that  the  Genl.  may  ask  me,  with  or  with- 
out the  advice  of  my  council,  to  suggest  a  successor.     The 


I 


CoEKESPOiSfDENCE    OF    JONATHAN    WoKTH.  1013 

Circuit  to  which  he  is  assigned  begins  12th  Aug.  If  you 
think  you  can  take  the  oath,  and  my  advice  is  invited,  I 
desire  to  nominate  you. 

Please  let  me  hear  from  you  at  your  earliest  con- 
venience. 

Greensboro. 


To  If.  T.  Fairdoth. 

Aug.  2  1867. 

If  you  prosecuted  Lewis  Cogdell,  please  give  me  infor- 
mation touching  the  facts  of  the  case,  with  any  obser- 
vations likely  to  aid  me  in  acting  discreetly  in  the  mat- 
ter, explained  by  the  enclosed  reference. 

It  seems  most  extraordinary  to  me  that  a  Sheriff 
should  ask  the  interposition  of  the  military  authority 
upon  his  statement  of  the  facts  proved  on  a  trial,  which, 
in  his  opinion,  did  not  warrant  conviction. 

If  the  trial  was  in  a  County  Court  will  you  please 
forward  the  inclosed  copy  to  the  County  Atto.  with  this 
letter  with  my  request  to  be  informed  about  the  matter. 

I  desire  an  answer  as  early  as  pi-actlcahle. 

GOLDSBOEO. 


To  Willia^n  Kelso. 

Aug.  U  1861. 
I  have  received  your  letter  with  inclosures. 
Our  State  has  by  nature  and  by  the  character  of  its  peo-  Business  con.u- 

,  ~,  .         .        .        \  ,        .  .  .  J.  tioiis  in  North 

pie,  oiiers  most  attractive  invitation  to  the  immigration  oi  raroiinn. 
men  skilled  as  you  represent  yourself  to  be :  but  the  ven- 
geance with  which  we  are  continually  threatened  by  the 
]!!\^orth, — the  establishment  of  military  rule  over  us  un- 
der pretext  that  we  are  lawless,  when  we  hnoic  that  crime 
is  less  frequent  than  in  Massachusetts — and  Justice  ad- 
ministered with  at  least  equal  ability  and  impartiality — 


1014  North  Carolina  Historical  Commission. 

paralyse  and  depress  us  to  such  extent  that  we  have  no 
heart  for  enterprises.  Capital  cannot  be  raised  here  for 
any  new  enterprise. 

I  am  interested  in  two  cotton  factories  in  Randol})h 
County  for  spinning  cotton  yarn  and  weaving  sheeting. 
They  are  about  1-^  miles  apart  and  belong  to  the  same 
comi)any.  The  water  powder  is  excellent — The  factory 
buildings  superior  brick  structures.  They  were  built  and 
put  in  operation  some  twenty  years  ago — Originally  .cost 
some  $85,000.  Were  purchas(^d  by  present  proprietors — 
some  14  men— before  the  war  for  $31,000.  and  $9,000. 
more  paid  in  as  working  capital.  The  enormous  taxes 
exacted  by  the  U.  S.,  and  continually  declining  price  of  cot- 
ton since  the  close  of  the  war,  have  made  our  operations 
unprofitable.  Every  member  of  the  company  is  a  man 
of  substantial  means.  The  present  manager,  Geo.  Make- 
peace, formerly  of  Mass.,  informs  me  he  wishes  to  retire 
from  the  management.  A  meeting  of  the  company  wdll 
be  held  some  6  weeks  hence.  If  you  think,  by  the  in- 
troduction of  the  manufacture  of  other  articles  or  other- 
wise we  might  mutually  profit  each  other,  it  is  possible 
an  arrangement  might  be  made  giving  to  you  and  your 
brothers  the  management  of  these  establishments.  There 
is  probably  no  more  healthy  or  less  expensive  place  in 
this  State. 

Cambridgeport,  Mass. 


To  ./.  M.  Parrott. 

Raleigh,  Aug.  Jf/67. 
I  find  I  shall  be  out  of  corn  shortly.  Please  send  me 
100  bushels  in  the  ear  at  whatever  may  be  the  market 
value. 
Sfn'informauon.  ^^^  ^^^^®^*  Written  by  Mr.  Cox,  Shff.,  of  your  County  to 
a  military  officer  stationed  at  Kinston,  sent  i\])  through 
the  regular  gradations  to  Genl.  Sickles,  has  been  referred 


CORKESPONDENCE    OF    JONATHAN    WoETH.  lOio 

to  me,  ill  which  Shff.  Cox  undertakes  to  set  forth  the  evi- 
dence on  which  a  negro  in  his  custody  was  convictc  d  and 
sentenced  to  six  nionlhs  imprisonment  for  stealing  two 
laiives  from  the  merchant  whose  store  was  robbed  and 
burned  in  Kinston  some  time  ago.  The  Sheriff  gives  if 
as  his  opinion  that  the  conviction  was  not  warranted  by 
the  evidence  and  asks  the  militaiy  to  discharge  the  con- 
vict. The  convict's  name,  I  think,  is  Lewds  Cogdell.  The 
letter  is  referred  to  me,  with  the  suggestion  by  Genl.  S's 
Provost  Marshal-GenL,  that  the  case  "appears  to  be  one 
deserving  executive  clemency".  I  have  declined  pardon- 
ing until  I  can  know  more  about  the  case.  The  action  of 
the  Sheriff,  virtually  condemning  the  action  of  the  Court 
and  jury,  and  appealing  to  the  military  to  relieve  the 
alleged  oppression  of  the  negro,  without  making  any  pre- 
vious appeal  to  me  for  the  relief  of  the  oppressed  con- 
vict, seems  to  me  most  extraordinary.  Do  you  know 
whether  the  conviction  was  before  the  County  or  Supr. 
Court.  If  in  the  Supr.  Court — before  what  judge  was 
the  trial  ?  If  in  the  Co.  Court  give  me  the  name  of  your 
County  Atto.  I  will  be  obliged  to  you  for  any  informa- 
tion you  can  give  me  touching  this  matter,  and  will  not 
use  the  name  without  your  permission.  If  your  Shff. 
deemed  the  verdict  wrong,  or  the  sentence  of  the  Court 
too  severe,  he  should  have  applied  to  the  Court  to  recom- 
mend the  convict  for  pardon  by  me ;  or  have  asked  the 
jury  to  so  recommend,  before  making  an  appeal  to  the 
military  for  relief,  unless  the  sheriff  lacks  confidence  in 
the  intelligence  and  fairness  of  the  juiw  and  Court  which 
tried  the  case  and  in  me.  I  presume  he  was  not  ignorant 
that  Genl.  Sickles  had  not  interferred  with  the  pardoning 
power  vested  in  the  Govr.  by  our  State  Constitution.  I 
cannot  conceive  why  he  should  have  applied  to  the  mili- 
tary to  pardon  the  convict,  before  making  any  trial  to  ob- 
tain a  pardon  from  the  Governor.  The  affair  is  a  most 
extraordinary  one. 

KlXSTOX. 


1016  North  Carolina  Historical  Commission. 

To  William  B.  Harlcness. 

August  5  1867. 
Giving  infonua-  Youi's  of  the  29tb  ult.  is  before  me. 

tlon  in  regard  to 

the  State.  J  send  jou  three  documents  of  recent  date.     I  am  will- 

ing to  be  responsible  for  the  facts  stated  iu  them.  If  I 
had  tried  to  select  and  condense,  would  be  willing  they 
should  appear  over  by  signature.  I  have  not  such  time. 
If  you  think  it  proper  to  make  such  statement,  I  will  give 
it  my  sigTiature. 

We  have  a  State  University  and  several  other  colleges. 
The  University  is  in  a  most  eligible  location — spacious, 
durable  and  suitable  buildings,  with  veiy  extensive  li- 
braries, philosophical  apparatus,  a  very  extensive  Geologi- 
cal and  Mineralogical  Cabinet  etc.  The  buildings, 
books,  etc.  were  not  disturbed  by  the  war,  but  the  large 
endowment,  consisting  of  Bank  stocks,  is  all  lost.  It  is 
a  first  class  institution — had  upwards  of  400  receiving  in- 
struction in  it  before  the  war — The  number  now  is  about 
100.  We  had  a  system  of  common  schools — a  school  house 
in  reach  of  every  child  in  the  State.  I^early  all  the  fund 
sustaining  the  system  was  lost  by  the  war.  Its  present 
stocks,  in  Rail  Roads  and  ante-bellum  State  bonds,  all 
of  which  will  revive  if  the  jSTorth  shall  allow  the  re-estab- 
lishment of  a  rational  system  of  State  government, 
amount  to  about  $1,000,000..  It  is  hoped  that  these 
schools  can  be  re-established  by  the  sale  of  the  swamp 
lands  described  in  the  pamphlet  I  send  you. 

The  almanack  inclosed  will  furnish  you  the  names  of 
our  State  officers. 

The  infinite  variety  of  duties  involved  on  the  "so-called 
Gov"  of  the  State,  or  Territory  of  IsTorth  Carolina,  makes  it 
impossible  to  comply  as  fully  with  your  request,  as  I 
would  most  willingly  do  so  under  other  circumstances.  I 
have  sent  your  letter  to  a  competent  gentlemen  and  asked 
him,  if  possible,  to  prepare  the  article  for  you,  but  as  he, 
like  most  of  us,  is  comj^elled  to  work  for  his  daily  bread, 


CORKESPONDENCE    OF    JONATHAN    WoRTH.  ]017 

I  fear  he  maj  not  have  leisure  to  prepare  the  paper,  and 
I  therefore  send  jou  the  material. 

The  gentleman  to  whom  I  refer  is  C.  H.  Wiley,  late 
State  Supt.  of  onr  Common  School  System. 

Philadelphia,  Pa. 


To  Louis  Quin. 

August  5  1867. 
Your  communication,  dated  May  last,  with  references  ^lonf|i'>onsi'i 

"  "^  ■  Jsorth  Carolina. 

which  command  my  highest  regard,  was  duly  received. 

The  political  condition  and  prospect  of  the  State  and 
the  uncertainty  of  the  tenure  by  which  civil  officers  of 
the  State  hold  their  positions,  paralyse  all  effort  and  leave 
little  ground  to  hope  for  the  success  of  the  enterprise  you 
suggest,  even  if  I  had  power  under  existing  laws  to  fur- 
ther your  views,  which  I  have  not. 

If  a  state  of  things  should  unexpectedly  occur  by  which 
I  shall  see  a  reasonable  chance  of  employing  your  ser- 
vices in  a  way  likely  to  benefit  you  and  the  State,  I  shall 
not  forget  your  application.  We  have  no  hope  now  save 
the  slight  one  drawn  from  the  saying  that  ''the  darkest 
hour  is  just  before  day". 

I  send  you  pamphlet,  touching  our  Swamp  lands. 

Philadelphia,  Pa. 


To  D.  Burnley. 

August  7  1867. 

I  hope  you  did  not  construe  my  intimation  as  to  the 
propriety  of  returning  your  thanks  to  Mr.  Hedrick  as  ad- 
mitting of  the  implication  that  I  desired  any  thing  of 
this  kind  for  my  efforts  to  serve  you.  W^hat  I  did,  I  did 
in  discharge  of  a  puhlic  duty  and  I  hold  you  under  no 
special  obligations  to  me.  It  was  otherwise  as  to  Mr. 
Hedrick. 

Wilmington. 


1018  North  Carolina  Historical  Commission. 

To   Thomas  S.  AsJic.^ 

Aufj.  7  1867. 
rSnaUon""""''  If  ^^c  sliall  Lc  iiiuiMc  t..  iiidiu'c  MciTiiiion  to  witlulruw 
bis  resignation,  can  we  till  the  vacancy  with  a  more  suit- 
able name  than  of  Alex.  Little  ?  AVoukl  be  accept  ?  If 
you  think  the  answer  would  be  negative,  can  you  suggest 
a  more  acceptable  name  ?  I  beg  you  to  be  prepared  to 
answer.  I  would  prefer  the  merest  tyro  in  thc^  law  to  one 
not  to  the  manor  born. 

I  am  not  prepared  to  make  a  nomination. 
Wadesboro. 


To  ^Y.  A.  Wright. 

Aug.  7  1867. 
Judge  Merrimon's        In  the  cveiit  WO  shall  be  constrained  to  fill  the  vacancy 

resignation.  "^ 

on  the  bench,  occasioned,  by  the  resignation  of  Judge 
Merrimon,  I  desire  to  fill  it  by  a  l^orth  Carolinian  even 
though  he  be  a  tyro  in  the  law.  Be  prepared,  if  you  can, 
to  suggest  a  name.  Could  Danl  B.  Baker  take  the  oath  ? 
Would  he  accept  ?  Is  he  a  suitable  man  ?  Would  Alex. 
Little  suit  you  better  if  he  would  accept  ?  Can  you  sug- 
gest any  other  more  acceptable  name  ? 
Wilmington. 


To  W.  P.  By  num. 

Aug.  8  1867. 
University  affairs.       I  liopc  you  may  be  able  to  get  some  bro..  lawyer  to  at- 
tend to  your  business  and  that  you  may  be  able  to  attend 


1  Thomas  S.  Ashe,  of  Anson  county,  had  been  a  member  of  the 
legislatiu-e  in  1842  and  1854.  In  1864  he  was  elected  to  the  Confed- 
erate Senate  but  never  took  his  seat.  In  1868  he  ran  against  W.  W. 
Holden  for  the  governorship  and  was  defeated.  He  was  elected  to 
Congress  in  1872  and  in  1874.  In  1878  he  became  an  Associate 
Justice  of  the  Supreme  Court. 


OoRKESPONDENCE    OF    JoNATHAX    WoKTII.  ]010 

the  meeting  of  the  Trustees  of  the  University.  1  regard 
the  action  of  the  meeting  as  involving  the  life  or  death 
of  the  institution. 

A  commission  such  as  you  suggest  was  appointed  at 
the  annual  meeting  in  June  lS6(j,  consisting  of,  I  think. 
W.  A.  G-raham,  D.  Ferebee  and  Judge  Battle.  They  met 
at  the  University  some  time  afterwards,  held  consulta- 
tions with  the  faculty  and  perhaps  others,  and  submitted 
a  lengthy  report,  exhibiting  evidences  of  having  bestowed 
much  consideration  on  the  subject  and  making  sundry  rec- 
ommendations. We  have  not  been  able  since  to  get  to- 
gether a  respectable  number  of  the  Trustees.  At  the  last 
annual  Commencement  there  were  less  than  1-2  doz.  trus- 
tees present — and  I  greatly  fear  that  the  great  majority 
of  them  will  not  be  present. 

If  a  complete  reorganization  of  the  faculty  be  necessary, 
or  at  least  the  election  of  a  new  head,  as  you  think,  in 
which  man}^  concur,  that  election  ought  to  be  made  at 
any  early  day.  Who  would  be  the  fittest  successor  of 
Govr.  Swain  ?  What  feasible  plans  of  remedying  the 
financial  embarrassment  of  the  institution  can  you  sug- 
gest ?  If  you  cannot  attend  the  proposed  meeting  are  you 
prepared  to  make  any  suggestions  on  these  questions  ? 

LlTvTCOLNTON. 


From  B.  S.  Hedrick. 

Washington,  D.  C.  Aug.  9,  1867. 

I  learn  from  my  wife  today  that  she  will  not  leave 
Beaufort  until  Monday  morning  next,  (12th)  which  will 
I  suppose  bring  her  to  Goldsborough  about  noon  of  that 
day. 

[P.  S.]  If  you  get  a  pass  in  time  for  that  train  it 
will  answer. 


1020  XoRTH  Carolina  Historical  Commission. 

To  Mark  E.  Lawrence. 

August  13  1867. 
I  •  have  no  reason  to  hope  that  any  application  to  any 
Dept.  of  the  U.  S.  Government  for  indemity  for  the  burn- 
ing of  your  jail  would  be  of  any  avail  now.  If  such  in- 
demnity may  ever  be  hoped  for,  it  will  be  after  we  have 
representatives  in  Congress  who  may  not  deem  such  burn- 
ing to  have  been  all  right. 

I^EWTOX. 


To  James  M.  Spruni. 

August  IS  1867. 

Yours  of  the  10th  inst.  has  been  received. 

All  the  correspondence  of  this  office  with  clerks  and 
Registers,  to  enable  us  to  establish  the  validity  of  the  title 
of  the  State  to  lands  claimed  by  the  Literary  Board,  has 
been  conducted  by  Genl.  Gwynn,  agent  of  the  Lit.  Board, 
over  my  signature,  but  I  have  not  time  to  read  and  have 
not  read  one  letter  in  20  to  which  I  have  affixed  my  sig- 
nature. I  have  no  knowledge  of  the  circumstances  to 
which  you  call  my  attention.  Genl.  Gwynn  is  now  in 
Hyde.  On  his  return  I  will  call  his  attention  to  yr 
letter. 

Kenansville. 


From  B.  Higgins. 

f 
Fisher  Hill.  Guilford  County. 

August  13,  1867. 

I  take  the  liberty  to  enclose  to  you  the  writer's  ideas 
which  I  wrote  last  winter  but  never  had  published.  The 
subject  of  Railroads  and  Minerals  I  have  been  engaged  in 
for  over  20  years,  for  12  years  I  have  been  in  the  State  and 
my  observations  and  experience  have  suggested  the  ideas 


Correspondence  of  Jonathan  Worth.  1021 

herewith  presented  and  seeing  the  subject  of  a  penitenti- 
ary thro  Genl.  Sickles's  orders  soon  to  be  considered  in 
council  I  am  desirous  to  have  jou  read  this  from  no  mo- 
tive but  public  good. 

I  propose  to  enquire  of  the  reader  and  the  public  r.™oi\na  ami'^bu's^ 
whether  there  is  any  enterprise  that  can  be  offered  to  the  lll^^fbe'Sute"'""*'"^ 
people  of  ]^orth  Carolina  that  would  be  self-sustaining 
under  the  patronage  of  the  State  Government  and  if  so 
in  what  way  could  it  be  accomplished.  The  inertia  of 
business  of  all  kinds  in  the  absence  of  Capital  or  Banks 
is  discouraging  to  every  class  of  people.  Crops  for  two 
years  past  or  more  have  been  insuificient  to  feed  the  peo- 
ple. The  soils  of  the  Middle  and  Western  Counties  are 
generally  impoverished,  and  need  fertilizers,  Farmers  are 
in  want  of  tools  or  good  instruments  to  cultivate  the  soil. 
Merchants  are  selling  at  cost,  and  can  realize  but  little 
money,  and  there  is  no  prospect  now  before  the  people 
to  sustain  hope,  except  that  Seed-time  and  harvest  shall 
not  fail,  and  "faith  without  works  is  dead".  But  what 
shall  we  do?.  While  everything  in  nature  is  moving,  as 
an  example  for  the  people  to  work,  there  are  no  Towers  or 
Temples  to  be  built  to  excite  the  people  to  work.  We  have 
to  amend  our  Constitution  which  is  a  small  job  and  which 
can  be  done  by  a  few  Prime  Movers,  the  modulus  having 
been  fixed  by  a  function  and  a  base.  The  State  was  orig- 
inally a  State  and  is  yet  a  State.  Therefore  in  that  ques- 
tion there  is  no  money,  nor  will  it  incite  the  people  to 
work.  We  must  look  then  to  our  IN^atural  advantages  and 
present  condition  for  something  to  stimulate  and  en- 
courage the  people.  On  the  East  we  are  bounded  on  the 
Atlantic  Coast  for  300  miles  with  good  harbours,  bays, 
and  navigable  rivers,  open  to  the  Commerce  of  other  ITa- 
tions,  both  winter  and  summer  our  Rivers  West  of  Raleigh 
in  any  County  to  the  Georgia  and  Sampson  line  afford 
extensive  water   power   and   railroads   extend   across   the 


1022  XoETii  Carolina  Historical  Commission. 

State,  East  and  West,  also  ^'ni'th  and  South,  connecting 
harbours  on  the  coast  with  trunk  lines  of  Roads  from  other 
States.  Our  spring  Avaters  are  clear,  cool,  and  to  be 
found  on  every  plantation  in  llie  Middle  and  Western 
Counties — our  Iviver  water  is  soft  and  clear  for  manu- 
facturing woollen  goods.  The  climate  for  health  is  not 
excelled  by  any  other  place  on  the  Globe.  The  Eastern 
Counties  produce  cotton,  corn,  rice,  and  rosin.  The  ]\Iid- 
dle  and  Western  Counties  produce  wheat,  corn,  oats,  rye, 
barley,  and  flax,  tobacco,  and  some  cotton.  Sheep  can  be 
raised  easily  and  wool  produced  in  large  quantities.  Our 
Forests  abound  with  Pine,  Cyprus  and  Oaks,  and  hard  and 
soft  woods  of  all  kinds.  The  finest  of  grapes  grow  sp(jn- 
taneously  and  the  most  delicate  kinds  may  be  cultivated  to 
any  extent.  In  Minerals  I^orth  Carolina  is  not  surpassed 
by  any  State  on  the  Eastern  Slope  of  the  Alleghenys.  In 
nearly  all  the  Counties  West  from  Eranklin,  Wake,  John- 
son, Cumberland,  and  Richmond  to  Cherokee — Gold,  Sil- 
ver, Lead,  Zinc,  Iron,  Copper,  and  the  associated  Metals 
and  Minerals  are  in  profuse  quantities,  also  Mineral 
Coals,  Salts,  Mineral  Springs,  Slates,  Alum,  LimeS; 
Clays,  Marbles,  Stealites,  Plumbago,  etc.,  some  of  which 
deserve  special  notice  as  valuable  motors  to  industry.  Of 
these  will  be  selected  ores  of  Iron,  Copper,  and  their  as- 
sociates Coals,  Lime,  Marble,  etc. 
Iron  ores. 

Extensive  deposits  and  veins  of  these  ores,  of  the  most 
valuable  and  desirable  kinds,  for  the  manufacture  of  Iron 
and  Steel  are  to  be  found  in  several  Counties  of  this 
State.  The  Magnetic  oxides  the  Specular  and  Red  Hem- 
atites are  to  be  found  in  Guilford,  Randolph  and  Chat- 
ham Counties,  and  the  Carbonates  in  Guilford,  David- 
son, Madison  and  others  Counties — all  of  which  are  the 
preferable  kinds  for  Steel  and  the  best  quality  for  bars, 
Iron  wires,  and  all  other  uses  in  Machinery,  Smith's  work ' 
Cutlery  Tools,  etc.  equal  to  Sweeds  or  Russian  Sable  or 
Xorwav   Iron   which  commands   in  everv  known  market 


Correspondence  of  Jonathan  Worth.  1023 

the  highest  prices.  There  are  also  Brown  and  Ked  Hem- 
atites, and  Black  bands  ores  in  Chatham  coal  fields,  and  in 
Counties  adjoining  Chatham  Co.,  also  in  the  Counties 
of  Guilford,  Davidson,  Forsythe,  Stokes  and  Surry,  and 
in  nearly  all  the  Counties  on  the  sources  of  and  West 
of  the  Catawba  River.  This  latter  class  some  of  which 
will  answer  for  Steel  and  is  valuable  for  Bar  Iron  and 
Soft  castings  for  many  uses,  when  cast  metal  needs  bor- 
ing and  turning. 

The  Magnetic  oxide  yields  a  white  cast  metal  for 
chilled  or  hardened  purposes ;  viz,  Car  wheels.  Plough 
Moulds,  and  jioints,  or  for  maleable  Iron,  Specular  ore 
yields  a  peculiar  tenacious  Iron  for  working  with  Cutlery 
tools,  wire,  etc.  and  the  facilities  for  working  these  ores 
into  charcoal,  Pig  Metal  and  Blooms  (or  drops)  is  all 
that  could  be  wished  for,  at  the  place  where  the 
various  ores  are  diggable,  as  Timber  is  abundant,  and 
in  some  places  Lime  for  a  flux — at  others  Lime  only  is 
wanting.  Some  are  in  near  proximity  to  Railroads — and 
at  others  Railroad  facilities  are  needed.  Mineral  Coals 
are  to  be  found  in  Chatham  County,  and  also  in  Rocking- 
ham, Stokes  and  Forsythe  Counties  on  the  headwaters  of 
Dan  River  on  the  ]N"orth  Line  of  this  State.  These  coals 
are  desirable  and  necessary .  for  Rolling  and  Manufactur- 
ing purposes — hence  the  necessity  for  extending  the  Deep 
River  and  Chatham  Coal  Fields  Railroad  through  the 
Counties  of  Randolph,  Guilford,  Forsythe,  Stokes,  to 
near  Pilot  Knob  Mountain  in  Surry.  ISTear  the  East 
Bend  of  the  Yadkin  River,  all  of  which  Counties  are 
highly  favored  with  Iron,  Copper  and  other  ores,  also 
Beds  of  Limestone,  Marble  and  Coal,  besides  extensive 
water  power  for  Mills  or  manufacturing  purposes — Which 
Railroad  would  be  indispensible  for  the  manufacturing  of 
Iron  and  Smelting  of  Copper  ores  in  the  vicinity  of  the 
Chatham  Coal  field,  and  would  also  give  the  facility  for 
transporting  Lime  and  Marble  to  nearly  all  the  counties 
in  the  State,  an  article  so  much  needed  by  the  Farming 


1024  jSTortpi  Carolina  Historical  Commission. 

class  of  people  at  the  cheapest  possible  rate  of  cost.  The 
l^orth  C.  C.  R.  R.  and  the  Western  Extension,  would 
afford  a  facility  for  the  transit  of  Blooms  and  Pigs  of 
Iron,  and  ores  of  Copper  from  the  counties  West  and 
iSTorthwest  of  Guilford  to  Chatham — ^Which  is  no  doubt 
the  most  favorable  section  for  Rolling  Mills,  Forges,  Cop- 
per Smelting  Works,  Powder  Works,  and  Steel  Works,  for 
obtaining  mineral  coal  cheap  and  with  a  cheap  transit  of 
the  metal  produced  to  the  ports  of  Wilmington,  JSTew 
Berne  or  Morehead  City.  The  consumption  of  Iron  in 
this  State  is  probably  greater  than  the  reader  is  aware  of 
- — and  upon  Examination  it  will  show  that  very  large 
sums  of  money  are  paid  annually  for  this  article,  which 
contributes  to  the  wealth  and  industry  of  other  peojjle 
of  other  States.  Suppose  that  we  estimate  the  ordinary 
Farm  use,  including  waggons.  Buggies  and  Household  im- 
plements, Tools  and  Smith  use,  60  Tons  as  an  average 
consumption  for  each  County,  and  we  find  an  aggregate 
of  5000  Tons  are  consumed  or  used  by  Railroads,  in  or- 
dinary repairs  not  including  Rails  each  12th  months 
1000  Tons  more  and  by  Machinists,  and  Mining  Cos. 
500  Tons.  There  would  be  an  annual  purchase  of  6500 
tons  which  at  5  cents  per  pound  foots  up  Six  hundred 
and  fifty  thousand  dollars,  in  adition  thereto  of  Steel, 
Copper,  Lead  and  Powder — one  hundred  thousand  dollars 
— which  is  thought  to  be  a  low  estimate  in  our  presem. 
condition  and  which  must  be  largely  increased  in  view 
of  establishing  such  facilities  as  will  accomplish  a  home 
supply  by  home  manufacture  for  all  purposes,  viz ;  Rails, 
Castings,  Car  wheels,  car  axles  for  Railroads,  Pump  En- 
gine Tools,  etc.,  for  Mining  purposes.  Bar  Iron  Tyres 
for  waggons,  Ploughs,  Picks,  Hoes,  Shovels,  Axes,  Mill 
Machinery  of  all  kinds  for  Farm  and  Mechanical  use  and 
a  thousand  fittings  and  things  which  everybody  is  familiar 
with,  as  are  used  and  now  purchased  and  paid  for,  which 
takes  the  peoples'  money  and  goes  out  of  the  State  to  en- 
rich the  people  of  other  States  and  support  their  industry, 


Correspondence  of  Jonathan  Worth.  1025 

with  an  impoverishing  effect  on  the  people  of  Xorth  Caro- 
lina. Our  home  market  should  be  supplied  by  home  man- 
ufacture, and  all  surplus  sold  to  markets  North  and 
South  of  this  State,  and  any  surplus  of  Charcoal  Pig  could 
be  sold  in  Northern  Markets  for  money  at  a  large  per- 
centage over   cost. 

Second.  Copper  ores  and  their  associated  metals. — 
The  smelting  of  Copper  ores  can  be  made  very  profitable, 
and  give  great  inducement  to  an  increased  population,  by 
Emigration  from  those  Countries  where  Mining  and 
Smelting  have  been  extensively  carried  on  for  several 
hundred  years,  which  would  not  have  been  done  if  they 
did  not  yield  a  very  large  profit.  Copper  ores  of  all  vari- 
ties  are  obtainable  in  this  State.  Viz,  Suphurte,  Red 
and  Black  oxides,  Silicions  oxides,  Carbonates  or  Mala- 
chite, Phosphates  and  Chlorides.  Sulphurates  and  Cop- 
perpyrities  exceed  all  others  in  quantity,  and  are  there- 
fore of  great  importance,  yielding  from  3  to  60  per  cent 
of  Copper  Metal.  Xext  the  oxides  and  carbonates  which 
are  much  richer  in  Metal  and  are  to  be  found  in  greater 
abundance  in  this  State,  than  in  other  localities.  The 
Sulphurats  are  desirable  in  smelting  the  carbonates  and 
oxides.  In  Germany  ores  yielding  :2  per  cent  with  some 
silver  are  found  to  be  profitable.  Ores  are  purchased  by 
smelters  in  Germany,  Prussia,  France,  and  England,  and 
also  at  ISTorthern  Works  dug  on  the  continent  of  America 
and  transported  thither  to  smelt — where  fortunes  have 
been  made.  T\venty  years  ago  mining  and  smelting  in 
this  country  received  but  little  if  any  attention.  But 
for  fifteen  years  past  the  enterprise  seems  to  have  taken 
root  and  is  flourishing  in  the  United  States.  Several 
Smelt  works  have  been  put  into  operation  which  have  met 
with  great  success,  supplying  our  own  shops  with  metal 
and  greatly  enlarging  and  expanding  our  own  manufac- 
turies.  As  before  stated  ISTorth  Carolina  has  large  de- 
posits of  the  various  Copper  ores  which  will  yield  fr(nn  .") 
to  GO  per  cent  of  Copper  Metal,  associated  with  which  is 
Vol.  2—24 


1026  XoKTH   CaKOLIjS'A  HiSTOlUCAL   COMMISSION. 

Lead,  Zinc,  Silver  and  Gold,  in  the  separation  of  which  Sul- 
phur and  acids  should  also  be  obtained. 

That  class  or  grade  of  Copper  ore  and  also  of  Galena 
which  yields  from  5  to  20  per  cent  are  to  be  found  in  in- 
exhaustable  quantities — and  should  be  smelted  as  near  to 
the  place  where  dug  as  possible  in  order  to  save  ex- 
pense of  transportation  to  markets  in  the  Northern  States. 
A  home  market  for  this  grade  of  ore  is  all  important  to 
the  miner,  because  his  cost  of  mining  and  expense  of 
transportation  to  a  IsTorthem  Market  will  absorb  nearly 
all  and  in  some  instances  all  he  can  sell  his  ores  for,  and 
this  will  and  always  has  retarded  mining  (in  this  State) 
of  ores  yielding  below  15  per  cent,  and  those  low  per  cent 
ores  are  generally  the  first  ones  dug  in  getting  a  mine 
proi3erly  opened.  If  however  the  miner  could  sell  his  low 
per  cent  ores  with  his  ores  of  a  higher  per  cent,  at  the 
nearest  Railroad'  Depot,  and  get  the  N^orthern  Market 
price,  he  would  always  succeed  from  the  first  ore  dug  and 
be  sustained  in  continuing  his  operations.  Which  result 
of  the  Smelter  is  a  reverse  of  that  to  the  miner,  as  the 
Smelter  is  ahvays  sure  of  profit.  The  products  of  smelting 
always  find  a  ready  sale  for  cash  to  the  trade. 

A  Smelting  "Works  located  near,  or  at,  the  Chatham 
County  Coalfield,  in  this  State,  would  be  as  favorable  as 
could  be  desired,  for  smelting  all  classes  and  grades  of 
ores  referred  to,  because  wdth  railroad  facilities  to  trans- 
port the  ores  to  the  Chatham  Coalfields,  the  profits  "would 
be  amply  remunerative  to  the  smelter  if  he  paid  the 
Noriliern  MarJcet  Price  for  ores  at  any  depot  on  any 
railroad  in  the  central  or  Western,  part  of  the  State.  Ma- 
terials for  erecting  Furnaces,  fuel  and  flues  could  there 
be  obtained  at  a  small  cost,  compared  with  the  cost  at 
many  Xorthcrn   establishments. 

The  Miner  would  then  have  all  the  advantages  of  sav- 
ing the  sum  now  paid  for  transporting  the  ores  to  a  mar- 
ket out  of  this  State,  which  would  stimulate  him  to  be 
more  energetic,  and  to  enlarge  his  productions.      It  would 


COKKESPONDENCE    OF    JoJMATIlAN    WoKTII.  1027 

eucourage  new  operators  to  come  to  the  field  with  capital  to 
aid  ill  developing  the  Minerals  of  this  State,  which  would 
benefit  the  rarmer  and  the  Mechanic. 

The  precious  metals  of  Gold  and  Silver  woidd  also  be 
mined  to  a  much  larger  extent,  than  ever  before  known, 
the  extent  of  which  is  greater  in  this  State,  than  the  most 
credulous  persons  have  ever  estimated  and  is  believed  to 
be  as  encouraging  for  a  regular  pursuit  as  in  California 
and  the  AVestern  Territories,  Russia  or  Africa,  or  any 
part  of  South  America. 

The  home  consumption  of  Copper,  Lead,  and  Zinc,,  Iron 
and  Steel  is  unlimited,  yet  a  considerable  sum  is  paid 
annually  for  Paints  and  Metals  used  by  our  Railroad 
Companies,  and  Mechanics,  which  in  the  aggregate  will 
foot  larger  as  one  of  the  sources  which  take  money  from 
us,  and  should  if  possible  be  saved  to  the  people  of  this 
State,  and  a  large  surplus,  draT\ai  from  abroad,  by  the 
sale  of  the  excess  of  the  Copper  Metal,  Lead,  Zinc,  etc. 
produced  by  smelting  our  own  native  ores  at  home 
Mineral  Coals. 

jSTorth  Carolina  is  highly  favored  by  ISTature  with  these 
Coals  for  Manufacturing  purposes  of  a  good  quality  and 
free  from  impurities,  and  Sulphur,  so  they  are  or  may 
be  useable  for  Rolling  Iron,  Smelting  and  rolling  Copper, 
and  other  Metals,  and  for  chemical  uses  generally.  It 
would  be  desirable  if  there  were  facilities  for  reaching 
them  by  rail  for  Mechanic's  use — domestic  use — ^and 
Small  Blast  use.  But  unfortunately  the  Public  Spirited 
Movers  in  jSTorth  Carolina  of  Railroads  have  opened 
thorough  fares,  which  have  proved  to  be  of  more  benefit 
to  other  States  than  our  ovm  and  have  never  yet  opened  a 
single  Railroad  to  her  Coalfields,  Iron  ore  Beds,  Marble 
quarries,  or  Lime  Stone.  Which  Roads  have  caused  a 
large  State  debt  and  afford  facilities  to  Merchants  and 
others,  drain  and  draw  from  the  people  of  this  State  their 
money  leaving  their  pockets  empty. 

These  Roads  .should  have  been  of  a  secondarv  eonsid- 


1028  North  Carolina  Historical  Commission. 

eratioii  and  a  liailroad  from  the  navigable  waters  of  ihc 
Cape  Fear  River,  via  Coalfields,  through  Chatham  Guil- 
ford, Forsythe  to  Surry  County  should  have  been  the 
first  Bailroad  BiiUt  in.  this  State.  Why,  Because  the 
public  generally  would  have  been  benefitted  at  home.  The 
Coal,  Iron,  Lime,  ]\[arble,  Copper,  and  other  natural 
treasures  would  have  found  a  market  10  years  ago.  But 
was  not  done  and  perhaj^s  not  thought  of  and  if  thought 
of  was  considered  of  a  secondary  importance.  It  is  very 
evident,  however,  that  the  people  of  this  State  by  an  ex- 
penditure of  not  over  5  Millions  of  Dollars  might  have 
saved  at  home  10  Millions  of  dollars  in  the  manufacture 
of  Rails,  car  wheels,  and  Iron  for  common  uses  and  Mar- 
kets South,  built  all  her  Railroads  and  be(^n  free  from 
a  public  debt.  But  ''The  first  shall  be  last  and  the  last 
first."  Then  why  not  profit  by  experience  and  now  develop 
these  nalural  advantages  which  will  l)enefit  all  the  people, 
a  home  sustaining  policy  of  home  patronage,  home  educa- 
tion, home  manufacturing,  and  make  and  sell  all  we  can 
to  outsiders — follow  the  example  of  other  States  and  live 
by  supporting  honest  industry  of  all  classes. 

The  Coals,,  and  the  Minerals,  Lime,  Marble,  etc.  must  be 
brought  together  and  used  for  they  are  in  daily  demand, 
and  sum  up  a  large  item  in  the  trades  of  the  present  day. 
Lime  and  Marble. 

Lime  is  an  article  of  the  greatest  importance  to  the 
Farmers  and  Planters  in  this  State.  It  is  the  most  effec- 
tive and  best  fertilizer  that  can  be  obtained — its  caustic 
alkaline  qualities  fit  it  to  a  soil  like  ours  which  is  filled  with 
Siles,  or  sand,  and  disintegrated  rocks,  which  leave  so  many 
pebbles,  and  crude  substances,  which  forbid  vegetable  mat- 
ter from  forming  a  mould,  without  the  use  of  Lime  to 
neutralize  them — hence  woody  and  stalky  substances  grow 
rapidly,  and  grain,  grapes  and  fine  roots,  meagerly.  Our 
soils  must  therefore  be  fitted  for  crops,  before  farmers  can 
expect  to  raise  a  remunerative  supply.  At  present  the 
cost  of  the  article  of  Lime  is  too  high,  and  nine-tenths  now 


COKRESPOKDENCE    OF    JONATHAN    WOKTH.  1020 

used  for  Buikling  and  Farm  uses  is  brought  from  the 
I^ortherii  States.  The  transportation  adds  too  much  to  its 
cost  to  enable  the  Farmer  to  use  it  as  a  fertilizer.  Phos- 
phates of  Lime,  Guano,  and  other  fertilizers  are  pur- 
chased in  Northern  Markets,  which  in  the  aggregate  sends 
annually  a  large  sum  of  money  out  of  the  State. 

To  estimate  the  quantity  of  lime  needed  by  farmers  an- 
nually, we  will  suppose  that  we  have  a  suj^erficial  area  of 
about  50  thousand  square  miles,  and  each  mile  sqr  G40 
acres  gives  32  Millions  of  acres,  half  of  which  is  covered 
by  timbers  and  rivers.  We  find  16  Millions  of  acres  in 
Farms  and  plantations  and  probably  not  more  than  one- 
fourth  of  which  is  annually  cultivated,  to  wit,  4  ]\Iillions 
of  acres,  and  3  Millions  of  which  needs  fertilizing  with 
Lime.  Suppose  we  divide  the  3  Millions  into  5  parcels 
and  fertilize  one-fifth  each  year — as  the  manureing  ef- 
fects of  lime  aided  by  the  absorbents  of  bean  straw,  grass 
and  other  vegatable  matter,  will  endure  for  5  years.  We 
find  six  hundred  thousand  acres  needing  anually  5  bar- 
rells  of  Lime  to  be  used  (in  a  slaked  condition)  equals 
74  Bushels  to  each  acre.  The  aggregate  of  which  is  30 
hundred  thousand  Bbls,  or  150  million  Bushels,  which  can 
be  obtained  from  our  quarries  and  sold  to  the  Farmer,  at 
an  average  cost  of  15  cents  per  bushel.  We  will  suppose 
each  farmer  to  have  50  acres  of  land  to  fertilize  and  he 
begins  with  10  acres  each  year  and  at  the  end  of  5  years 
he  begins  again  on  the  first  10  acres  and  so  on  repeats 
and  continues.  Each  will  require  to  have  50  Bbls.  of 
Lime  annually  at  the  cost  of  $37.50.  jSText  we  will  es- 
timate the  advantage  of  this  expenditure.  We  suppose 
that  before  he  uses  Lime  his  land  produces  5  Bushels  of 
Wheat,  Corn  10  Bushels,  Eye  4  Bushels,  Oats  7  to  10 
Bushels,  and  no  clover,  or  grass  of  any  kind.  But  as  one 
year  is  required  for  the  Lime  to  neutralize  the  soil,  we  will 
estimate  no  special  gain  until  the  second  year's  harvest, 
when  he  is  sure  to  get  from  3  to  a  five  fold  production, 
and  clover,  hay,   and  grasses  in  abmidance  for  his  use. 


1030  A'^oKTii  Carolina  Histokical  Commission. 

If  he  seens  and  subsoils  each  alternate  year  after  the 
ap})lieatiou  of  Lime,  and  as  he  continues  to  use  Lime  he 
will  continue  to  nap  this  advantage.  The  soil  will  then 
receive  common  manures,  Leaves,  and  Compost  of  all 
kinds.  I  will  guarantee  the  result  in  proluction  to  be  as 
good  as  I  have  estimated  if  the  Lime  and  appropriate  hus- 
bandry is  used.  The  profit  will  be  apparent  to  any  one 
who  tries  it. 

If  the  soils  on  the  Eastern  slopes  of  the  Allegheny  were 
as  full  of  Lime  as  the  Western  slopes  are,  Farmers  would 
•    raise  equal  crops  with  Western. 

The  Liniestones  of  the  Western  slopes  are  of  a  soft  gray 
texture,  a  transient  formation.  While  on  the  Eastern  we 
have  Carbonate  of  Lime  (White  Marble)  crystallized  and 
hard,  which  needs  to  be  calcined  (or  burned)  to  render 
it  friable.  Limestones  of  this  class  is  abundant  in  the 
Counties  of  Forsythe,  Stokes,  and  Yadkin.  It  occurs  near 
Germantown  in  Stokes  County  ranging  southwardly  and 
crossing  the  East  Bend  of  the  Yadkin  River.  The  coal 
beds  on  the  headwaters  of  the  Dan  River  underlie  it  and 
the  Iron  ores  are  above,  and  in  near  proximity  to  it. 

Those  beds  contain  the  pure  white  marble  free  from 
any  stains  of  Iron,  and  as  white  as  Egyptian  Marble  suit- 
able for  Tomb  Stones,  Monuments,  or  for  ornamental  pur- 
jooses  for  buildings.  The  surface  of  the  beds  near  German- 
town  are  colored  to  the  depth  of  a  few  feet  with  black 
mica,  but  this  is  suitable  for  walls  of  buildings.  The 
pure  white  Carbonate  makes  pure  strong  Lime.  There  is 
limestone  also  in  some  of  the  counties  west  of  the  Yadkin. 

With  such  beds  of  Marble  in  our  possession,  why  pur- 
chase Tomb  Stone  from  the  quarries  of  Marble  in  Con- 
necticut or  any  i^orthern  State.  The  dead  will  slumber 
as  softly  under  our  own  stones,  as  they  can  be  made  as 
cheap  here  as  there,  and  save  transportation.  There  is 
only  wanting  the  facility  and  the  inducement. 

Why  then  should  not  the  people  of  ]Srorth  Carolina 
bring  up  the  agricultural  interests  of  the  State,  to  a  Stand- 


I 
I 


I 


Correspondence  of  Jonathan  Worth.  1031 

ai'cl  with  the  Western  States.  It  can  be  dune  if  her  people 
will  husband  their  interests — a  will  to  do  it  and  unity 
of  action — and  energy  combined- — and  new  features,  com- 
plexion and  life,  will  overcome  the  dispondency  of  mis- 
fortune now  resting  upon  her.  At  the  first  blow  and 
steps  taken  in  earnest,  Emigration  will  come  from  Eng- 
land and  Germany  to  dig,  and  work  our  minerals,  to  en- 
gage in  agriculture  and  horticulture,  to  manufacture  wines 
and  luxuries,  now  so  heavily  taxed  when  produced  in  Eu- 
rope, that  many  fortunes  may  be  made  before  the  duties  are 
reduced.  Capital  will  also  come  without  solicitations  from 
abroad  to  purchase  our  lands.  Mines,  Grains  &;  products 
of  all  kinds.  Manufacturing  will  increase.  Shops  will  be 
opened  and  home  supplied  with  all  she  needs,  and  our 
people  will  be  sellers  of  Surplus  instead  of  Buyers. 

Enough  has  been  said  perhaps  to  enable  the  reader  to 
draw  his  own  conclusions  of  the  beneficial  results  to  the 
people  of  this  State,  of  such  an  enterprise.  But  will  sug- 
gest a  few  ideas  how  it  could  be  done — As  a  preliminary 
Step  let  the  State  Legislature  pass  a  law  establishing  a 
Mining  Bureau,  with  5  Managers  the  Governor  and  State 
Treasurer  to  be  t^vo  of  the  members,  a  State  Agent,  a 
Metalurgist,  and  Superintendent,  the  last  three  to  be  ap- 
pointed or  reappointed  Biennially  by  the  Governor  and 
Council  of  the  State,  or  to  be  continued  for  5  years  on 
salaries.  If  they  Prove  to  be  well  qualified  and  of  Skill- 
ful Capacity,  to  be  Paid  a  liberal  Compensation  for  their 
Services. 

The  Agent  should  be  a  person  of  good  business  habits, 
and  reliable  in  every  particular.  The  Metalurgist  should 
be  a  German  or  Prussian  who  is  known  to  be  skillful  in 
every  branch  of  Smelting  and  Working  Metals  under  the 
most  modern  or  improved  Methods. 

The  Supt.  Should  have  Experience  in  Mining  of  ores, 
a  good  judge  of  Metals  and  of  Experience  in  Building 
and  Working  Railroads. 

The  Board  of  Managers  should  have  power  to  Employ. 


1032  jS^okth  Carolina  Historical  Commission. 

discharge  and  direct  all  assistants,  Em})l()Ycs,  or  servants, 
to  pnrchase  Sites,  Materials,  Build  tracks,  Roads  and 
whatever  pertains  to  perfecting  and  working  the  dilTerent 
branches  of  the  object  for  which  the  Mining  Board  is 
established — a  grant  of  full  powers  guarded  froui  abuses 
by  peculation  or  fraud,  etc. 

They  should  be  authorized  to  take  full  and  absolute 
charge  of  the  Chatham  and  Coalfields  Ilailroad,  and  Em- 
powered to  Build  the  same  from  its  present  terminus 
through  the  Counties  of  Chatham  Randolph  Guilford 
and  Forsyth,  to  Surry — near  Pilot  Knowb — upon  the 
most  favorable  location  for  the  object  or  convenience  of 
the  public,  as  a  Road  to  transpt  Pig  Iron,  Blooms,  Mar- 
ble, Lime,  Coal,  Ores,  Metals,  etc,  and  have  full  manage- 
ment of  the  same.  To  be  Called  The  State  Railroad. 

They  should  be  authorized  to  Erect  and  work  a  Rolling 
Mill  in  Chatham  Coalfields  of  a  capacity  to  make  one 
thousands  Tons  per  month  of  Rails,  Axles,  or  any  Class 
of  j\rerchantal)le  Iron  and  furnaces  for  Paddling  and 
heating. 

They  should  be  authorized  and  Empowered  to  Erect  a 
Smelting  Works  for  Copper  and  lead  ores  in  the  same 
locality  of  a  Capacity  to  smelt  5  thousand  tons  of  such 
ores  per  annum,  and  to  purchase  such  ores  at  Xorthern 
Market  prices  on  the  line  of  any  Railroad  in  this  State. 

They  should  be  authorized  to  Build  a  Steel  AVorks  of 
a  Capacity  to  Make  200  tons  of  Steel  per  annum  to  make 
Caststeel  for  Mines  and  Mechanics. 

They  should  be  authorized  to  Erect  2  or  3  Powder  Mills 
at  separate  distances  to  make  Blasting  Powder  for  Mines, 
To  make  Xitre,  Acid,  Suljdiur,  etc. 

.Vnd  whatever  article  is  made  or  produced  for  sale  ex- 
cept lime  should  be  sold  at  Northern  Wholesale  rates,  or 
Prices.  They  should  make  all  Rails  needed  for  the  Rail- 
road, also  axles  car  wheels,  cars,  etc.,  and  to  supply  other 
Roads  in  this  State,  Iron  for  farmers  or  Smelters  and  ma- 
chinists use. 


COKEESPONDENCE    OF    JoNATIlAN    Wtjimi.  1033 

Tliev  should  have  power  to  open  and  work  Coal  .Mines 
Marble  quarries  for  Tombstones,  Monuments,  etc.,  and 
to  make  Lime  and  to  deliver  on  the  Iload  to  be  J>uilt  or 
at  a  junction  of  the  X.  C.  R.  It.  at  l.">  cents  per  bushel 
for  farmers  use  as  fertilizers  of  slaked  lime  or  25  cents 
•  for  the  unslaked,  and  Marble  slabs  at  low  rates  per  foot. 
The  Principle  office  should  be  in  Raleigh  and  under 
the  Supervision  of  the  State  Treasurer,  and  branch  of- 
fices at  the  different  localities,  which  Branch  offices  should 
make  monthly  reports  to  the  Principle  offices  which  should 
report  to  the  Legislature  annually — of  all  Expenditures, 
cost,  of  the  work  Roads,  ores  purchased,  Metals  produced, 
on  hand  sold,  and  a  full  and  complete  abstract  of  the  Con- 
dition of  the  Affairs  of  the  Bureau. 

The  entire  property  Created  or  accumulated  should  be 
the  property  of  the  State. 

The  Motor  or  funds  used  by  the  Bureau  should  be  an 
issue  of  a  Treasury  IsTote  if  practicable  in  sums  of  1,  2, 
3,  5,  10,  and  20  dollars  of  good  paper  and  in  as  good  style 
as  Greenbacks,  redeemable  one  year  after  date  at  the 
pleasure  of  the  State.  But  made  receivable  for  Taxes,  on 
Railroads  and  By  individuals,  and  have  par  value  in  the 
State,  and  all  person  forbid  depreciating  or  discounting 
them  for  profit  under  a  penalty — to  be  issued  from  time 
to  time  by  the  State  Treasury  to  meet  the  wants  of  the 
Bureau  monthly.  They  should  be  received  for  all  metals 
etc.  sold  to  the  people  of  the  State  By  the  Bureau  and 
be  used  in  the  purchase  of  ores,  Metals,  Coals,  etc,  etc., 
And  the  issue  should  at  no  time  exceed  5  million  of  dol- 
lars and  the  metals  sold  abroad.  Iron,  Powder,  Steel,  etc., 
at  home  Paid  for  in  said  issue  and  redeemed  from  the 
proceeds  thereof. 

To  Save  the  Expense  of  Building  a  State  Prison,  a  law 
should  be  passed  authorising  and  requiring  the  Bureau  to 
take  the  Convicts  or  Prisoners  from  each  County  in  the 
State,  and  work  them  in  the  Marble  quarries,  Yards  and 
making  Lime  or  in  Building  Roads,  untill  they  shall  have 


1034  iSToKTH  Carolina  Historical  Commission. 

served  the  term  of  Sentence  of  Court  and  payment  of 
costs  and  lines  imposed  Which  shall  be  paid  by  the  Burea 
to  the  proper  County  thereby  saving  the  people  from  such 
County  Tax  Which  will  relieve  the  people  of  the  Expenses 
also  of  a  public  Prison.  The  Bureau  to  provide  for  all 
such  prisoners  Comfortable  Clothes  and  food  and  hospital 
Expenses. 

It  is  well  known  that  a  few  miles  above  Salem  are  large 
tracts  of  land  in  which  extensive  quarries  of  white  mar- 
ble or  Lime  Stone  exist  which  can  be  purchased  for  a 
small  sum,  and  which  if  walled  in  and  Prison  Cabins 
were  built  for  workmen  within  the  enclosure  would  not 
cost  l-5th  part  as  much  as  a  State  prison  for  manufactor- 
ing  purposes  and  neither  Should  prison  labor  be  applied  to 
the  manufacture  of  any  article  of  industry  and  capital 
generally  pursued  by  the  public. 


To  General  Siddes. 

August  13  18G7. 
I  have  examined  and  considered  the  amendments  pro- 
posed to  Sec.  9  and  40  Rev.  Code  Chap.  101  and  enter- 
tain no  doubt  that  an  order  promulgating  the  same  as  law 
would  contribute  very  essentially  to  the  better  working  of 
the  Public  Roads  of  the  State. 

ClIARLESTOX,  S.   C. 


To  Judge  Gilliam. 

Aug.  IJf  1SG7. 
Jury  orders  of  I  had  not  heard,  when  I  sent  my  telegram  to  Genl.  S. 

Sickles.  .  J  b 

on  the  10th  inst.,  that  a  single  County  Court  had  acted  on 
the  order  touching  juries.  I  regarded  the  order  as  qualify- 
ing those  only  who  had  paid  a  tax  the  current  year — this 
fiscal  year,  and  as  the  County  Courts  could  not  know  until 
the  Sheriffs  had  made  their  collection  and  return  for 
this  year,  who  had  paid  tax  this  year,  the  Court  could  not 


COREESPONDE^^CE    OF    JONATHAN    WoRTII.  1035 

SO  reform  the  lists  till  the  first  Court  to  be  held  after  the 
1st  day  of  October,  The  .General's  answer  stating  that 
the  circumstances  set  forth  in  my  telegram  showed  that 
I  had  been  "iiu practicable"  to  execute  his  order.  If  the 
orders  have  reference  to  tax  assessed  and  paid  last  year, 
i  then  it  would  not  have  been  ''impracticable"  to  reorganize 
the  juries. 

I  have  reason  to  believe,  from  a  personal  conversation 
with  Genl.  S.,  that  he  meant  to  qualify  as  jurors  every 
one  who  had  paid  a  poll  tax  or  any  other  public  tax,  but 
I  have  no  right  to  put  any  construction  on  his  ordinances 
and  make  these  suggestions  for  what  you  may  consider 
them  to  be  worth. 

I  propose  to  try  to  get  Genl.  S.  to  construe  his  order 
or  to  modify  it,  so  as  not  to  admit  any  but  a  freeholder 
to  serve  on  the  jury. 

LiNCOLNTON. 


To  G.  M.  Gri/jin. 

Aug.  n  1867. 

As  Governor  I  have  no  color  of  power  to  interfere  with 
the  action  of  your  County  Court  as  to  levying  a  tax  to 
pay  County  bonds  given  during  the  w^ar,  and  my  opinion 
as  to  the  power  of  this  County  Court  derives  no  impor- 
tance from  my  official  position. 

If  you  or  any  other  citizen  deem  the  levying  of  such 
tax  unlawful,  you  should  employ  a  lawyer  and  seek  a 
remedy  through  the  higher  Courts.  It  is  a  question  of 
law  and  being  now  rather  a  rusty  lawyer — and  my  opinion 
entitled  only  to  the  consideration  due  to  my  opinion  as  a 
lawyer  and  so  pressed  with  my  multifarious  official  duties 
that  I  cannot  bestow  much  time  to  the  consideration  of  the 
question  I  hope  you  will  excuse  me  from  the  expression 
of  an  opinion  on  the  subject. 


familv 


1036  North  Carolina  Historical  Commission. 

Tu  Josiah  Inrncr,  Jr. 

AiKjust  17  1S07. 

n^%.^S?ck-s  ^'^^^'^  ^"'^^  aware  that  for  the  past  18  months  B.  S.  Hed- 
rick  has  attended  at  my  instance  to  a  vast  variety  of  busi- 
ness for  the  State  and  its  citizens  at  Washington  City. 
He  has  not  been  paid  any  thing  for  these  services — has 
not  demanded  any  compensation.  He  informs  me  he  la- 
bored for  all  our  R.  Rs.  at  the  close  of  the  war.  He  wrote 
me  some  time  ago  that  his  wife  and  children  were  on  a 
visit  to  his  brother  at  ]\Iorehead  City  and  would  visit 
Chapel  Hill  and  perhaps  Salisbury  perhaps  during  their 
visit  and  that  he  would  appreciate  a  free  pass  for  them 
over  our  R.  Rs.  I  applied  to  Mr.  Whitford  and  Mr.  Webb. 
The  former  granted  and  the  latter  refused.  Mr.  Webb,  as 
I  hear,  referred  to  my  application  and  his  refusal  at  your 
late  annual  meeting.  Mr,  Hedrick's  wife  and  children 
passed  here  from  Morehead  to  Chapel  Hill  a  few  days 
ago,  paying  their  way  from  Goldsboro  to  Chapel  Hill.  The 
State  owes  them,  for  Mr,  H's  services  a  free  pass,  and  if 
he  rendered  the  service  to  the  corporation  which  I  think 
he  did,  his  request  ought  to  have  been  granted.  If  you 
think  you  may  do  so  without  impropriety,  I  shall  be 
gratified  if  you  w-ill  send  his  wife  at  Chapel  Hill,  privi- 
lege to  pass  free  wath  her  children  from  Durham  to  Salis- 
bury and  from  Salisbury  to  Raleigh  one  time  at  any  time 
within  a  month  from  this  date. 
Company  Shops. 


To  John  C.  Wood. 

August  19  1867. 

Yours  of  the  13th  inst,  with  inclosure  came  to  hand. 
The  board  created  by  Genl.  Sickle's  order  as  to  the  expe- 
diency— location,  etc.  of  Penitentiary,  have  the  subject  un- 
der consideration.  If  the  report  shall  favor  the  building 
of  one  and  recommend   a  location,   I   am  not  informed 


Correspondence  of  Jonathan  Worth.  1037 

what   ulterior  steps  the  General  proposes  to  take. 

Your  jiroposition  will  receive  clue  cousideration,  if  it 
shall  become  my  duty  to  have  any  control  in  the  erection 
of  Penitentiary  structures. 

Wilmington. 


To  G.  F.  Lewis. 

Aug.  19  1567. 

I  have  made  a  special  and  earnest  call  upon  each  of  the 
Trustees  of  the  University  to  meet  in  this  office,  on  busi- 
ness of  vital  consequence  to  the  institution.  I  hope  for 
a  full  attendance.  I  suggest  that  you  come  then,  instead 
of  the  5th  Sept. 

[P.  S.]  If  you  can't  be  here  on  the  22nd  it  is  not  prob- 
able that  I  can  get  a  meeting  so  soon  after  as  the  5th 
Sept. 

Cleveland,  O. 


From  E.  M.  Gibson. 

DEPARTMEXT   OF  THE  INTERIOR 

PEXSIOX  OFFICE. 

August  20,  1867. 
Hon.  Jonathan  Worth, 

Governor  of  Xorth  Carolina, 
Sir: 

Sometime  since  I  noticed  an  advertismcnt  in  the  ,^^^,'J,"';femicen?fn^' 
Washington  Chronicle  of  public  lands  for  sale  in  your  State  >^'"'«h  ^''^'■"'''"^• 
without  giving  terms  or  particulars.  Will  you  be  kind 
enough  to  inform  me  of  the  quality,  price  condition,  etc., 
of  the  land.  My  father  (Geo.  Gibson)  emigrated  from 
Randolph  Co.  X.  C,  more  than  twenty  years  ago,  to  the 
State  of  Indiana.     I  have  often  heard  him  speak  of  you, 


1038  j^OKTH  Cakolina  IIistokical  Commission. 

and  think  pcn'haps  lie  knew  you.  I  have  nnmerous  rela- 
tives (Winslows,  Walkers,  Davises,  etc.)  living  in  your] 
State  now,  but  owing  to  my  having  served,  and  been  dis- 
abled, in  the  Union  Army  during  the  late  war,  I  do  not 
know  as  it  would  be  safe  for  me  to  make  my  home  in  that 
State  now.  I  might  live  there,  but  would  my  chances  in 
the  profession  of  the  law,  or  politically  be  worth  anything, 
is  the  question.  I  am  young  yet,  and  would  not  like  to 
hazzard  future  prospects  by  living  in  a  community  where  I 
would  be  obnoxious  to  the  citizens,  for  any  thing  I  have 
done  or  said,  for  of  course  I  have  no  regrets  for  my  past 
conduct. 

At  present  I  am  a  clerk  in  the  above  named  office  and 
will  remain  here  until  I  determine  where  to  locate. 


From  Ileni-y  T.  CIark\ 

Takboko,  K.  C.  August  20,  1867. 

University  affairs.  I  was  placed  on  a  Committee  by  the  last  Legislature  (or 
at  the  last  session  of  the  Legislature)  charged  with  the  in- 
vestigation of  the  affairs  of  the  L^niversity — and  to  report 
to  the  next  meeting  of  the  Legislature  or  to  the  Governor. 
A  majority  of  the  joint  committee  (3  of  the  Senate  and 
3  of  the  House  of  Commons)  (Messrs.  Hall,  Peebles, 
Morehead  and  myself)  held  a  meeting  at  the  last  com- 
mencement, made  some  progress  and  expect  to  resume  an 
investigation  in  Raleigh  at  the  adjourned  Session  (today) 
this  has  been  thwarted  by  the  suspension  of  the  Legisla- 
ture. And  for  want  of  another  meeting  of  the  Committee 
a  report  cannot  be  prepared. 

I  write  this  as  an  individual  explanation  to  you,  for 
there  has  been  no  concert  of  opinion  or  action  for  the 
present  emergency. 

We  were  preparing  to  offer  some  suggestions  which 
we  hoped  would  be  beneficial  to  the  institution — perhaps 


COERESPONDENCE    OF    JONATHAN    WoKTlI.  1030 

the  same  may  proceed  from  the  very  intelligeut  body  of 
Trustees,  who  I  see  have  been  called  together  in  Raleigh 
the  22nd. 

I  understand  there  are  three  vacancies  among  the  pro- 
fessors, besides  the  proposed  vacancy  of  Gov.  Swain. 

I  will  venture  one  suggestion  which  you  may  give  only 
such  attention  as  you  think  it  merits.  It  is  a  temporary 
arrangement  while  the  funds  of  the  corporation  are  so 
impoverished.  Charles  Phillips  is  very  competent  to  fill 
the  Chair  of  Mathematics,  lately  occupied  by  his  father. 
His  professorship  is  nearly  allied  to  that  of  his  father. 
I  would  suggest  that  his  salary  be  enlarged  and  both  pro- 
fessorships so  arranged  as  to  be  occupied  by  him — that 
temporarily  the  two  branches  be  amalgamated  or  so  com- 
bined as  to  be  placed  in  charge  of  the  remaining  Professor. 
If  his  duties  are  increased,  increase  his  pay,  but  not  to 
the  extent  of  both  salaries  (say  33-1/3)  This  would  be 
an  economy  which  the  present  status  demands.  And  as 
the  means  of  the  University  increased  increase  the  pro-  ' 
fessorship  again. 

Be  pleased  to  consider  this  only  as  a  suggestion  to  you 
— and  you  may  present  or  not  as  seems  expedient  to  your 
own  views, 

I  have  not  the  honor  of  being  a  Trustee  and  can  have 
no  voice.  But  your  body  has  not  a  more  devoted  friend 
to  the  institution  than  myself. 

P.  S.  I  would  be  glad  to  be  advised  of  the  present 
status  of  our  Committee.  Genl.  Sickle's  order  does  not 
abolish  but  suspends  the  Legislature  till  farther  orders, 
which  in  all  probability  will  never  be  given.  Theoreti- 
cally we  are  a  Legislature  for  two  years  from  date  of  our 
election.  It  was  made  the  duty  of  this  University  Com- 
mittee if  they  could  not  report  to  the  Legislature,  to  re- 
port to  the  Governor.  But  there  must  be  a  meeting  to 
continue  the  investigation  and  make  the  report.  But  we 
can't  do  without  authority  for  our  expenses  to  be  paid. 
If  your  duties  and  authority  have  not  expired  with  Genl. 


1040  NoKTH  Carolina  Historical  Commission. 

Sickles,  how  can  wo  draw  our  iice't'ssary  expenses  already 
incurred  or  to  be  incurred.  Gtnl.  Sickles  will  make 
])r()niise  for  bis  pcMiiteutiary  Board — would  be  make  any 
for  tbis  Committee. 


To  E.  ./.  Hale  d-  Son. 

AufjuM  21  1S67. 

I  am  disposed  to  stretch  my  powers  in  order  to  have  a 
genteel  edition  of  Wilson's  reports.  In  my  annual  mes- 
sage to  the  Genl.  A.  I  recommended  a  reprint  of  the  im- 
perfect editions  of  the  report  made  during  the  war.  1  do 
not  know  why  the  recommendation  was  not  respected. 
Under  general  powers  conferred  on  the  Govr.  and  judges 
of  the  Supreme  Court  I  am  disposed  to  take  for  the  State 
100  copies  of  your  proposed  edition,  but  must  have  the 
concurrence  of  at  least  one  of  the  judges  of  the  Supreme 
Court.  I  expect  Judge  Battle  here  shortly.  Can  3'ou  give 
me  an  approximate  idea  as  to  what  100  copies  w^ould  cost 
the  State  under  your  proposition  ? 

Xew  York  City. 


To  E.  M.  fllhson. 

Raleigh  Aug.  23  1867. 
Gi\inR  desired  Your  iuQuirv,  as  vou  served  in  the  U.  S.  army  in  the 

mtorinatioii  about  J        ^  ' 

North  Carolina.  j.^^-g  ^^.^^.^  wdictbcr  it  would  be  wise  for  you  to  make  your 
home  in  this  State  discloses  the  fact  that  you  believe  in  the 
absurd  conclusion  which  Northern  demagogues  have  fos- 
tered in  the  minds  of  the  Northern  people;  to-wit,  that  we 
are  a  semi-savage  and  lawless  people.  How  a  people  claim- 
ing to  be  so  much  more  virtuous  and  civilized  and  chris- 
tianized than  we  are,  can  honestly  indulge  in  such  senti- 
ments, excites  among  us  combined  wonder  and  [illefjihic]. 
The  fact  ouiiht  to  be  knowu  to  every  body  having  any  ac- 


CORKESPONDENCE    OF    JONATHAN    WoRTK.  1041 

cess  to  sources  of  correct  information  that  there  is  no  place 
in  Christendom  when  a  man  behaves  himself  with  de- 
corum, is  safer  than  in  any  part  of  N.  C,  no  odds  what 
may  be  his  opinions,  political  or  religious.  Even  if  he 
come  among  us,  prepossessed  with  the  notion  and  con- 
tinually making  this  notion  prominent — odiously  promi- 
i  nent — that  he  claims  superiority  over  us  in  patriotism — 
virtue — learning — everything  noble  in  the  nature  of  our 
species,  joii  are  still  "safe"  from  personal  harm — but  we 
have  not  yet  been  reduced  to  the  debasement  generally  (a 
few  who  seek  favor  by  fawning  pretend  to  love  and  re- 
spect those  who  thus  revile  us)  to  lick  the  hand  which  in- 
flicts stripes  upon  us.  The  great  body  of  our  people  were 
forced  to  elect  between  Secessionists  and  Abolitionists — 
thus  forced  they  took  up  arms  in  favor  of  their  home  and 
section: — when  conquered  they  desired  to  be  allowed  to 
participate  in  a  restowed  Union:  When  the-  J^orth  de- 
mands of  them  that  the  future  government  of  the  State 
shall  be  committed  to  the  recently  emancipated  slave  in 
order  to  maintain  the  continued  ascendency  of  a  party 
which  despises  the  forgiving  spirit  taught  by  the  religion 
we  profess,  and  delights  to  trample  on  a  vanquished  people 
and  throw  obstacles  in  the  way  of  their  recuperation,  they 
submit  as  the  vanquished  must  submit  to  a  conqueror,  but 
they  are  not  so  meek  and  so  stultified  as  to  love  such  a 
peoj)le.  But  every  body  is  ''safe'  here  who  behaves  with 
decorum — and  any  of  our  people  respect  a  Union  soldier, 
who,  when  the  fight  was  over,  treats  his  vanquished  foe- 
man,  as  genuine  courage  always  treats  the  vanquished. 

I  have  not  time  to  dwell  on  the  matter.  I  have  said 
thus  much  because  I  remember  well  your  father  and  would 
treat  his  son  with  respect. 

jSTobody  anywhere  was  a  more  constant  lover  of  the 
Union  and  the  Constitution — and  nobody  any  where  more 
cordially  abhors  a  party,  who  would  force  on  us  a  gov- 
ernment so  framed,  under  this  bayonet,  as  to  give  ascend- 
ancy to  the  recently  emancipated  slaves. 
Vol.  2—25 


1042  North  Carolina  Historical  Commission. 

I  have  not  and  iiovt'r  had  any  symiiaTliy  with  Disunioii- 
isni  either  hy  Secessionists  or  Kadieals. 
Wasiiix(;t().nv,  ]).  (\ 


To  B.  S.  llcdnvl: 

Aug.  2J^  18G7. 

I  have  been  so  pressed  with  the  urgent  and  multifarious 
duties  of  my  office  for  some  weeks  past,  that  I  could  iKjt 
find  time  to  do  justice  to  my  ])ersonal  correspondence. 

I  made  application  to  get  complimentary  tickets  for 
your  family,  resting  the  application  on  the  ground  of  jus- 
tice to  you  on  account  of  your  services  to  the  State. 

I  know  that  Turner  personally  desired  to  grant  it.  T 
inclose  his  answer.  If  I  had  power  I  would  grant  you  a 
free  pass  on  every  road  in  the  State  as  some  token  of  my 
appreciation  of  the  disinterested  service  you  have  ren- 
dered the  State. 

Washington,  D.  C, 


To  W.  H.  King. 

August  2Jk  1867. 
Terms  for  sale  of  Our  lauds  are  uot  divided  off  into  sections  and  classified 

swamplands.  ,.  ^^-r      ,  ,  n      i  it  •  • 

as  to  quality.  W  e  hojied  to  sell  tlie  whole  to  an  immigra- 
tion or  to  other  association  of  capitalists.  In  this  way 
we  would  sell  at  $1.00  per  acre — 1-10  paid  down — re- 
mainder payable  in  10  years — interest  at  7  per  cent,  pay- 
able semi-annually — title  reserved  until  purchase  money 
be  paid — failure  to  pay  int.  for  G  months  after  due  to  be 
forfeiture. 

If  we  fail  to  sell  the  lands  on  these  terms  as  an  entirety, 
we  will  sell  any  one  entire  swamp  on  same  terms — or 

Give  alternative  sections  for  ditching  and  draining. 

Our  object  has  been  to  draw  attention, to  these  valuable 


CuKKESPOA'DEKCE    OF    JoA^ATHAN    WoKTII.  1043 

lands  and  then  dispose  of  them  the  best  way  we  ean.  So- 
body  will  want  to  bny  enongh  only  for  a  single  farm.  A 
leading  drain  mnst  be  cnt,  which  should  be  done  by  a  com- 
pany or  individual  owning  the  whole  swamp,  to  l)e  sold 
afterwards  in  small  tracts. 

We  will  pay  any  reasonable  conniiission  to  an  agent  who 
may  effect  sales  for  us. 

We  now  have  a  commission  in  Xew  York  trying  to 
effect  a  sale  of  the  whole ; — on  failing  in  that, — of  one 
entire  swamp.  If  we  fail  in  this  we  will  give  alternate 
sections  to  any  person  or  company  who  will  ditch  any  one 
of  these  swamps. 

I  send  you  my  advertisement  seeking  to  effect  sale  of 
one  tract,  as  an  individual. 

I  will  pay  5  per  cent  commission  to  any  person  who 
will  find  purchaser  on  my  terms.  I  think  there  is  not 
the  sJlgldcst  exaggeration  as  to  this  land.  The  crops  here- 
tofore growTL  and  now  gTowing  on  the  land  demonstrate 
its  productiveness.  In  view  of  the  improvements  on  it — 
so  much  of  it  ready  for  immediate  cultivation — its  valu- 
able timber  and  proximity  to  navigation,  it  is  a  most'  de- 
sirable tract.  Its  present  owners  are  so  occupied  in  other 
matters  that  they  can't  give  attention  to  it. 

Will  be  glad  to  hear  further  from  you. 

Xew  ExcfLAXD.  Ohio. 


To  H.  T.  Clad: 

Aug.  2Jf.  1S67. 

I  am  not  advised  of  Genl.  Sickles'  ulterior  purposes 
either  as  to  the  calling  of  the  Genl.  A.,  or  his  scheme  for 
the  building  of  a  Penitentiary.  How  he  proposes  to  raise 
the  ways  and  means  or  whether  he  intends  to  jniy  or  how, 
the  board  appointed  to  report  on  Penitentiary  project,  I 
am  as  ionorant  as  vou  are. 


1044  jSTortii  Caroli2^a  Historical  Commission. 

I  hope  to  have  another  interview  with  liim  before  loiig 
in  order  to  understand  his  designs  and  to  induce  him,  if 
I  can,  to  modify  some  orders  and  to  abstain  from  issuing 
others  deranging  our  State  operations. 

We  have  done  what  we  could  to  keep  the  University 
alive.  I  have  not  time  to  give  you  details — but  will  simply 
say  I  think  we  have  adopted  measures  likely  to  result  in 
reviving  the  institution. 

The  financial  question  is  not  solved — but  the  professors 
will  be  paid  their  full  salary  this  session.  If  money  can- 
not be  raised  by  voluntary  contribution  to  disincumber  the 
corporate  property,  I  see  no  hope  of  avoiding  its  ultimate 
downfall. 

Tarboro. 


I 


To  0.  D.  CooU. 

Aug.  2Jf.  1867. 
Sale  of  swamp  ^v  commissioii  is  now  ffoue  to  X.  Y.  to  try  to  effect  a 

lands.  ®  *^ 

sale  of  the  whole  of  the  Swamp  lands,  to  Companies  pro- 
posing to  negotiate.  I  fear  they  will  not  effect  such  sale. 
Until  the  result  of  their  negotiations  shall  be  known,  I 
can  only, say  that  this  board  will  sell  White  Oak  Desert  at 
$6.00  per  acre — ten  per  cent  to  be  paid  down — int.  to  be 
semi-annually  paid  on  residue — ten  years  allowed  to  pay 
fund — title  reserved  as  security  and  failure  to  pay  interest 
for  6  months  to  amount  to  forfeiture  of  contract.  If  we 
can't  sell  this  way  we  will  sell  less  than  the  whole  on  like 
terms. 

I  inclose  advertisement  of  a  tract  of  land  I  wish  to  sell 
which  I  regard  as  the  best  bargain  in  land  which  I  ever 
knew  any  thing  of.  The  crops  grown  on  it — and  now 
growing  are  the  best  testes  of  its  value.  The  cleared  land, 
buildings   and  timber  would   make  quick  returns. 

Boon  Hill. 


Correspondence  of  Jonathan  AVortii.  1045 

To  Simon  Barnes. 


Aug.  26  ISO 


I  have  means  of  arriving  at  a  just  interpretation  of  the  Rules  for  regis- 

,  ,.    ^  1  .  .  .  .  1  ^  tration. 

Act  ol  Congress  toncnmg  registration  not  m  reach  oi 
every  other  citizen.  Genl.  Sickles  is  the  final  arbiter  as 
to  ns — and  I  had  supposed  he  wonld  have  given  us  his 
construction  on  the  doubtful  points.  His  plans  seems  to 
be  to  leave  each  board  of  Registers  to  decide  all  doubtful 
cases  and  report  to  him  all  questionable  cases  for  his  final 
decision. 

I  think  you  are  entitled  to  register,  and  I  would  apply 
to  the  registrars,  and  in  case  they  decide  against  you,  ask 
them  to  report  the  case  to  Genl.  Sickles  for  his  decision. 
According  to  the  opinion  of  the  Atto.  Genl  you  have  a 
right  to  register:  and  surely  no  citizen  can  incur  any  dan- 
ger or  blame,  who  claims  the  right,  where  such  right  is 
sustained  by  the  opinion  of  the  highest  law  officer  of  the 
F.  States. 

Wilson. 


From  J.  J .  Jaclson. 

PiTTSBORO  August  21' til  1867. 

Registration  has  commenced  in  this  County.  The  |^fj^^p,|''",j°i| 
Board  has  been  in  Session  in  this  village  two  days. 
There  is  a  great  rush  of  negroes  to  register  I  suppose 
two  negroes  have  registered  here  to  one  white.  I  am  fear- 
ful this  count}^  will  be  Africanized  although  by  the  cen- 
sus of  1860  there  were  nearly  two  whites  to  one  black. 
The  negroes  will  register  to  a  man,  and  many  of  the 
whites  will  go  with  them  I  fear  from  the  idea  they  have 
that  the  owners  of  real  estate  are  to  be  plundered,  and 
what  they  have  confiscated.  There  are  few  post  offices 
in  the  county  and  many  of  our  people  are  uninformed  as 
to  whether  they  can  register  or  no. 


1046  j^ORTii  Carolina  IIistokical  Commission. 

I  think  vvcvy  facility  should  Ix'  given  for  registering 
all,  and  Inr  that  reason  I  write  yon  this,  at  the  instance 
of  many  of  our  Citizens,  and  request  that  you  will  call 
Col.  Ijoniford's  attention  to  the  Statement  hereinafter 
contained. 

It  is  1  tliiidv  ])erfectly  clear  that  there  ought  to  be  two 
places  for  registering  on  the  east  of  Haw  Jliver.  One 
third  or  one  fourth  of  the  county  lies  east  of  the  lliver. 
There  is  not  now  a  l)ridge  ou  Haw  Iviver  from  Keemey 
Bynum's  to  Haywood.  Four  bridges  have  been  swept 
away  recently  by  freshets.  The  Board  should  sit  at  Las- 
aters  and  at  Jones  Grove,  which  as  you  know  is  about 
eight  miles  from  Pittsboro  on  the  road  to  Chapel  Hill.  I 
hear  they  will  sit  at  Lasaters  only.  If  this  be  so  and  I 
am  informed  that  they  have  only  advertised  that  point, 
it  is  certain  that  a  large  number  of  voters  from  the  coun- 
try bordering  on  Haw  Biver  and  the  Orange  line  will 
not  register.  To  do  so  they  would  have  in  some  cases 
to  travel  over  20  miles.  I  suppose  Col.  Bomford  could 
issue  orders  to  the  Board  to  sit  at  Jones  Grove  and  at 
Lasaters,  also. 

Permit  me  to  request  in  behalf  of  our  people  that  you 
will  see  Col.  Bomford  and,  if  you  think  it  proper,  that 
you  will  represent  to  him  the  Justice  and  propriety  of 
carrying  out  the  above  Suggestion. 


From  J .  J.  J  nelson. 

PiTTSBoKo,  .l(/r/(/,s-^  27th  1867. 

I  have  just   heard   that   Mr.    Gibbons  is  going  in   th( 
morning,  and  I  write  you  this  only  to  say  we  are  all  welll 
at  present.      We  hope   you    are    all   well.      The    children 
Bettie,  Jonnie  and  Carrie  are  going  to  school  to  ]\Ir.  Sut- 
ton and  I  think  rapidly  improving. 


COKEESPONDENCE    OF    Joi^ATHAN    AVORTII.  104' 

I  wrote  a  letter  to  ]\Iajor  B.  al)ont  two  days  ago  re- 
questing' him  to  get  up  and  send  to  me  all  of  Sickles' 
orders.  Lucy  lias  an  enterprise  on  foot.  It  is  a  secret 
and  I  fear  it  will  get  out.  She  has  been  agitating  the 
scheme  of  publishing  a  map  of  the  mineral  county  coal, 
gold,  etc.,  etc.  I  advised  her  to  defer  it  for  the  present 
and  suggested  the  following. 

Mr.  Sutton,  the  head  of  the  female  school  here,  has  a 
printing  press,  and  I  suggested  to  her  to  let  me  get  up 
all  the  orders  issued  by  Sickles  and  the  most  important 
of  those  issued  by  the  Bureau  and  let  Mr.  Sutton  print 
them  in  a  pamphlet.  I  thought  several  thousand  copies 
might  be  sold  for  a  dollar  each.  Well  she  sent  for  him 
and  he  is  anxious  to  go  into  it  if  his  press  will  do  the 
work.  Wants  to  see  the  orders,  etc.,  before  he  can  tell. 
What  do  you  think  of  it '(  The  expense  will  be  trifling — 
only  the  paper — and  I  really  think  there  is  money  in  it. 
They  could  be  sold  in  X.  and  S.  Carolina  and  probably 
Hale  could  sell  several  hundred  in  Xew  York. 

I  have  not  seen  the  orders  from  Major  Bagley.  If  it 
was  possible  I  should  like  very  much  for  Mr.  Gibbons  to 
bring  them  up  with  him.  Write  me  a  line  and  say  Avhat 
you  think  of  her  scheme.  I  write  you  another  line  that 
you  may  if  you  think  proper  show  to  Col.  Bomford.  I 
think  it  im]iortant  that  you  should   do  so. 

Love  to  all, 

[P.  S.] — I  wonder  some  printer  has  not,  before  this, 
thought  of  printing  in  pamphlet  form  for  easy  reference 
all  these  edicts  which  for  the  time  being  are  laws. 


To  \V.  H.  McRae. 

Sept.  9  1867. 
Yours  of  the  4th  inst.  is  just  reed. 
I  have  no  fears  that  Congress  will  confiscate  our  lands. 
There  is  much  more  danger  from  X.   C.  Radicals — and 


1048 


NoKTii  Cakolika  Historical  Commission. 


I  trust  there  is  not  inncli  danger  from  tlicm.  Our  white 
friends  in  Montgomery  and  liandolph,  who  are  expecting 
to  attain  political  ascendency  through  the  negro,  will 
surely  wake  up  and  see  their  folly  soon.  If  we  make  a 
Constitution,  allowing  all  male  negroes  21  years  old  to 
vote,  and  denying  the  right  of  voting  to  a  large  and  in- 
telligent class  of  whites,  the  mean  whites  co-operating 
with  the  negroes,  may  appropriate  all  the  land.  I  am 
unwilling  to  believe  that  the  negroes  are  to  be  made  the 
governing  class  in  IST.  C. 

I  tliink  it  scarcely  possible  that  X.  C,  with  a  popula- 
tion of  whites  largely  greater  than  the  negroes,  will  by 
their  voluntary  acts,  make  the  negro  the  governing  power. 
This  will  be  the  result  if  w^e  carry  out  the  Radical  scheme 
now  presented  to  us. 

I  advise  you  to  perfect  your  title  to  your  land  in  the 
way  you  deem  least  expensive — and  trust  to  the  good  sense 
of  ]Sr.  C.  and  the  nation  that  government  is  not  to  be  con- 
fided to  negroes  and  albinoes. 

I  have  not  time  to  discuss  these  subjects.  I  was  never 
a  Secessionist — still  less  am  I  a  Radical.  Both  were  and 
are  disunionists.  The  property  of  this  country  requires 
Union. 

Troy. 


To  0.  D.  Cooke. 

Sepr.  9th  1867. 

I  do  not  know  the  real  agricultural  product  of  the  land 
before  the  war.  I  learn  that  the  swamp  portion  produces 
strictly  first  rate  crops  of  cotton.  I  invite  any  one  wishing 
to  buy,  to  examine  the  land.  There  is  a  portion  of  it 
having  corn  on  it  now.  I  have  by  no  means  over-stated 
the  excellence  of  the  land.  The  place  is  known  as 
''Round  Swamp" — and  is  celebrated  as  a  place  of  great- 
value.     Any  body  at  Whitesville  or  in  that  region  knows 


COKKESPONDEXCE    OF    JONATHAN    WoRTH.  1049 

that  it  lias  always  produced  exuberant  crops  of  cotton 
and  corn.     The  timber  on  it  is  of  great  value. 

"We  have  a  complete  map  of  it.  It  is  now  in  K.  Y.  but 
will  be  in  the  hands  of  Worth  &  Daniel  in  a  few'  days.  We 
have  no  doubt  about  the  title  and  will  v/arrant  the  title — 
and  all  of  us  are  responsible  on  a  warranty.  Each  of  us 
is  out  of  debt  and  (for  our  country)  possessed  of  large 
means.  We  want  to  sell  it  because  our  several  occupa- 
tions preclude  proper  attention  to  a  farm,  I  never  saw 
any  place  better  suited  to  make  money,  both  by  its  agri- 
cultural products  and  its  timber. 

Boon  Hiel. 


To  Henry  T.  Clark. 

September  2S  1861. 

Yours  of  the  ninth  inst.   did  not  reach  my  hands  till  sickles' jury  order, 
to-day.     Some  10  or  12   days  ago  I  went  to  my  former 
residence,   expecting    to  be  there    only    a    day    or   two. 
\_Al:)out  four  lines  are  illegihle^.     Mr.  Perkins  is  here  and 
will  carry  down  both  pardons. 

I  had  taken  the  same  view  in  relation  to  Genl.  S's 
orders  as  to  juries  which  you  present  and  have  fully  ex- 
erted myself  in  communications  both  to  Genl.  Sickles  and 
Genl.  Canby  to  get  the  order  so  modified  as  to  allow 
only  freeholders  to  be  put  on  the  list  with  this  list  to  be 
purged  by  the  Court  as  j^i'ovided  by  our  laws  before  the 
drawing  of  the  jiu'j.  You  will  see  that  I  have  had  only 
partial  success. 

I  think  I  am  getting  the  relations  between  Genl  Canby 
and  myself  on  a  footing  likely  to  enable  me  to  be  of  some 
service  to  our  people. 

I  am  endeavorino'  to  get  him  to  abolish  the  Provost  Court 
established  for  5  counties,  in  Fayetteville,  by  which  three 
men  having  no  pretension  to  legal  learning,  are  taking 
cognizance  of  all  suits,  civil  and  criminal,  not  capitally 


1050  XoKTH  Carolina  Historical  Commission. 

pnnislud — their  eonipensatioii  ])eiii_ii'  fixed  at  $4.  ]ier  day, 
etc.  to  l)e  ])aid  l)v  the  fines  they  iin])osc.  I  reiiard  this 
Court  as  more  of  a  burlesque  on  justice,  than  the  cele- 
brated  Court  held  by   Sancho  Panza. 

I  am  also  endeavoring  to  discontinue  the  trial  of  civ- 
ilians ])ef<)re  military  Courts. 

I  thank  you  for  the  estimate  you  jdace  on  my  efforts 
to  serve  the  people  of  X.  C.  ^ly  duties  have  been  enor- 
mous and  onerous.  I  am  sure  I  have  endeavored  to  do 
all  I  could  to  get  our  State  on  her  legs  and  hope  my 
friends  duly  appreciate  my  efforts. 

I  am  feeble  and  tremulous  and  must  conclude. 

Tarboro, 


To  0.  P.  2Ieares.' 

Raleigh  Scpr  26  1867. 

I  will  be  much  obliged  to  you  for  any  renuirks  yot;  may 
be  willing  to  submit  to  me  tending  to  aid  me  in  coming 
to  a  just  conclusion  as  to  the  action  I  ought  to  take  on 
the  inclosed  petition  of  a  number  of  citizens  of  Wilming- 
ton for  the  remitting  of  the  remainder  of  punishment 
adjudged  by  you  against  Xicliolas  Carr. 

Please  return  the  petition. 

Wil:mington. 


To  A.  M.  TomJinson. 

Septemher  26  1867. 

*  vv  *  *  *  *  * 

I  do  not  precisely  understand  whether  the  association 
of  Friends  proposing  to  establish  the  model  farm,  design 
it  as  auxiliary  to  their  educational  projects  or  what  the 
real   object    is — but   I   presume   the   association   may   be 

1  Jiidffe  of  the  Wilmiiio-ton  Ciiminal  Court. 


Correspondence  of  Jonathan  Worth.  1051 

proinjitly  incorporated  under  our  liev.  Code,  Chap.  20, 
Sec.  1-i  and  15  at  a  tritlmg"  expense,  •whereby  the  diffi- 
culty will  be  obviated. 

I  am  somewhat  feeble  and  tremulous  from  my  late 
bilious  attack — and  hope  my  writing  will  be  legible  and 
intelligible. 

I  intended  to  have  visited  you  on  my  late  trip  to  Ran- 
dolph— but  was  detained  so  long  by  my  illness  that  I 
was  obliged  to  hasten  back  here  as  soon  as  I  felt  able. 

I  hope  your  son  Sidney  will  consent  to  be  voted  for  a 
a  member  of  the  Convention,  because  I  believe  he  would 
be  elected  and  that  he  belongs  to  the  class  who  woidd 
uphold  the  Constitution  of  the  United  States.  I  regard 
any  Union,  not  based  on  the  Constitution,  as  Revolution- 
ary and  likely  to  result  in  ultimate  disaster  to  our  Coun- 
try— and  I  cannot  regard  a  government  which  admits  to 
the  polls  aU  this  ignorance  and  excludes  niuch  of  the  in- 
telligence of  its  people,  as  likely  to  secure  personal  liberty 
or  2)rotection  to  the  fruits  of  industry. 

If  the  negroes  and  all  the  non-property  holders  are  to 
vote,  it  ought  to  be  for  the  Commoners  only:  and  only 
those  who  pay  a  tax  on  property  shoidd  vote  for  the  Sen- 
ate. I  have  not  time  to  enlarge  on  this.  If  non-property 
holders  are  the  rtiling  poAver  in  lioth  branches  of  the  Leg- 
islature, land  and  property  will  be  in  mtieh  more  danger 
of  virtual  confiscation  from  taxation  than  they  are  from 
the  present  Congress. 

Few  men  have  the  nerve  to  preserve  integrity  if  they 
get  on  the  political  arena — and  hence  I  would  not  advise 
any  young  friend  to  turn  politician — but  on  our  coming 
Convention  hangs  the  security  of  property  and  personal 
lil)erty — and  there  are  few  counties  in  the  State  where 
secret  organizations  have  so  misguided  public  sentiment 
as  in  Randolj^h — and  I  know  of  no  one  so  likely  to  be 
elected  as  Sidney — who  has  not  become  entangled  in  the 
vile  web  of  the  demagogue. 

Bush  IIii.t., 


1052  XoRTH  Carolina  Historical  Com:missiox. 

To  Thomas  Steplienson. 

Sepr  2Stli  1867. 

Your  letter  without  date  inquiring  whether  this  State 
is  making  any  effort  to  procure  European  hibor  is  before 
me. 

Xo  such  effort  has  been  made  because  the  action  of  Con- 
gress disfranchising  the  experienced  intelligence  of  our 
people  and  looking  to  and  likely  to  result  in  negro  su- 
premacy here,  we  regard  as  an  effectual  bar  to  immigra- 
tion from  any  country  but  Africa. 

Xew  York  City. 


To  D.  F.  Caldii'cll. 

Sep.  28  1867. 

The  pub.  Tr.  handed  me  a  day  or  two  ago  the  within 
papers  purporting  to  a  conveyance  of  a  lot  in  Florence 
from  J.  S.  Ray  to  Z.  S.  Coifin.  The  Tr.  says  it  was  found 
among  papers-  left  in  the  office  by  me  as  Provl.  Treasurer. 
I  have  no  recollection  about  it.  It  was  no  seal — and  is  not 
a  deed ;  and  if  it  were,  I  do  not  know  who  Z.  S.  Coffin  is, 
or  why  the  paper  w^as  put  in  my  possession.  I  suppose  it 
to  be  worthless.  If  yon  can.  make  any  thing  out  of  it 
return  as  much  as  you  please  and  pay  balance  wherever 
you  may  think  it  is  due. 

I  hear  that  the  Conservative  political  meeting  here  last 
night  was  prudently  conducted,  and  that  Ilolden  got  the 
most  terrible  castigation  ever  inflicted  in  the  way  of  a 
speech,  from  his  guardian  friend  Major  Kuss. 

I  did  not  have  any  hand  in  the  getting  up  of  this  meet- 
ing. I  have  feared  that  any  thing  like  organization  on 
our  part  might  arrest  the  disintegi'ation  which  I  trust  is 
setting  in  here  and  abroad  among  the  radicals,  and  thus 
result  prejudicially  to  us. 

I  read  your  editorials  with  much  interest  and  appro- 
bation. 


•Correspondence  of  Jonathan  Worth.  1053 

I  am  still  rather  feeble  and  my  band  trenuilous  from 
my  late  bilious  attack. 

Greensboro. 


To  James  F.  Giles. 

Oct.  2  1867. 

About  the  time  yours  of  the  29th  Aug.  came  to  hand  I  swamplands, 
"was  disabled  by  a  bilious  attack  and    so  continued    for 
some  ten  days  and  since  my  recovery  have  not  got  clear 
of  the  business  which  accumulated  during  my  illness. 

The  Lit.  Board  has  ordered  an  accurate  survey  and 
plot  of  the  90,000  acres  to  be  made  out.  Owing  to  the 
remarkably  rainy  season,  the  usual  disappearance  of  the 
water  from  absorption  and  evaporation  has  not  occurred. 
The  water  is  now  rapidly  disappearing  and  a  month  hence, 
it  is  hoped,  lines  may  be  run  over  dry  ground  throughout 
the  swamp.  Of  its  extraordinary  fertility  and  easy  drain- 
age I  entertain  no  doubt. 

Should  you  come  on  in  the  latter  part  of  this  month  or 
first  of  next  I  think  the  survey  will  be  in  progress  and  I 
will  take  care  that  every  facility  shall  be  afforded  you 
for  a  satisfactory  examination  of  the  premises. 

The  tract  of  land  which  I  offer  for  sale  by  inclosed  ad- 
vertisement, having  150  acres  cleared,  a  growing  crop  to 
demonstrate  its  fertility — houses  on  it — much  valuable 
timber,  etc.  presents  remarkable  inducements  to  a  gen- 
tleman wishing  to  farm  and  grow  cotton  on  a  large  scale, 
or  to  a  small  colony  of  immigrants. 

Washington^  D.  C. 


To  B.  Higglns. 

Oct.  7  1867. 

Your  lengthy  and  interesting  communication  contain- 
ing many  valuable  suggestions  touching  our  State  affairs 
was  duly  reed. 


I 


1054  XoKTii  Carolixa  Historical  Commission. 

As  the  (Jenl.  A.  lias  not  been  allowed  to  assemble  since 
I  I'ecd  it — and  ])Ossible  will  not  l)e  allowed  to  assemble 
durinii'  the  time  I  shall  be  allowed  to  occupy  m_v  [jvesent 
IDOsition. 

I  see  little  chance  to  carry  out  any  inii)ortant  enter- 
prise in  ]Sr.  C.  while  the  ])olicy  of  the  Go\'ernnient  repels 
all    innni<>ratiim,   save   from  Africa. 

Gkkexsboko. 


To  P.  T.  Mojiseij. 

October  17  18(17. 

canby'sjurj' order.  I  am  jii!?t  returned  from  an  interview  with  Genl  Canby 
at  Colnml)ia  at  which  his  jury  order  was  the  chief  sub- 
ject of  his  discnssion. 

Your  County  Court  after  making  out  a  list  of  those 
who  have  paid  a  tax  this  year,  whether  on  property  or 
on  the  poll,  Avill  in  the  first  place  purge  the  list  by  casting 
out  the  names  of  those  whom  they  may  deem  not  well 
qualified  to  serve  as  jurors,  color  alone  not  being  deemed 
cause  of  disqualification.  Extreme  ignorance,  bad  moral 
character,  deafness  or  other  personal  disability  will  be 
recognized  as  good  cause  of  disqualification. 

Persons  not  registered  as  voters,  are  not  to  he  excluded 
from  the  list  froiii  which  jurors  are  to  he  draiun — but  he 
will  retain  his  clause  making  non-registration  good  cause 
of  challenge. 

The  General  assured  me  he  would  reform  his  order  as 
al)ove.  It  may  be  expected  in  a  few  days.  I  ho])e,  there- 
fore, your  Court  upon  this  representation  will  act  as 
though  his  order  to  this  effect  were  now  published. 

Smith  field. 


Correspondence  of  Jonathan  Worth.  1055 

To  Calvin  H.  Wilry. 

Oct.  17  1807. 
I  am  Tiist  returned  from  an  interview  with  (iciil.  ('aiiljv.  sale  of  swamp 

•'  -      lands. 

It  was  quite  as  satisfactory  as  I  expected. 

I  am  quite  willing  to  take  $70,000. — or  even  $GU,0(JO. 
for  all  our  Swamp  lands  in  Hyde  and  Tyrrell,  provided 
not  less  than  ttj  be  paid  down,  interest  at  7  })er  cent 
paid  annually  for  residue  and  the  whole  to  be  paid  within 
ten  years  and  failure  to  pay  interest  for  60  days  to  amount 
to  forfeiture — but  will  not  consent  to  bind  the  State  to 
refund  for  any  cause  except  Avant  of  title — title  to  be 
made  on  payment  of  the  purchase  money. 

I  do  not  feel  willing  to  take  less  than  $1.  per  acre  on 
same  terms  as  to  ]iaymcnt,  for  White  Oak  Swamp ;  we 
paying  ex]ienses  of  survey. 

Greensboro. 


To  A.  S.  Kemp. 

October  21  1867. 
You  are  mistaken  as  to  mv  having  i)Ower  to  fill  vacan-  Regarding  the  mi- 

■  _   _  ing  of  vacancies. 

cies  in  civil  offices.  This  ])ower,  by  the  military  re-con- 
struction acts,  is  conferred  on  the  military  comnumdant — - 
Genl  Canby. 

The  military  commandant,  as  to  the  filling  of  vaeaucies 
in  offices  which  is  vested  in  tlie  Governor  or  the  Gov.  and 
his  Council,  by  our  Constitution  or  laws,  has  hitherto 
aslced  me  to  nominate,  and  has  appointed  my  nominee. 

I  have  not  been  consulted  at  all  as  to  the  a])pointment 
of  any  officer  where  the  a]i]iointmcnt  of  such  officer  is 
given  by  law  to  the   Courts  of  the  ]:»eople. 

From  your  representation  of  the  facts  I  see  no  reason- 
al)le  grounds  for  your  removal  and  the  consequent  filling 
of  your  place  by  military  authority — and  lio]->e  the  County 
Court  will   decline  to  accept  your  resignation. 

EriZABTOTTtTOAVN. 


1056  North  Carolina  Historical  Commission. 

To  Thomas  Settle. 

Oct.  22  1S67. 

I  inclose  to  you  a  copy  of  a  letter  which  I  addressed 
to  yoiT  on  the  17th  Apl  last,  to  which  I  have  reed  no  an- 
swer. 

Pressed,  as  I  was  by  the  military  authorities  of  the 
U.  S.  backed  by  the  Representatives  of  Caswell  County 
in  the  General  Assembly  and  by  Messrs  Kerr  and  Kerr 
who  defended  Johnson  I  granted  the  pardon  Avith  very 
great  misgivings  as  to  the  propriety  of  extending  clemency 
to  him. 

I  am  now  informed  by  the  Hon.  John  Kerr,  that  upon 
the  application  of  this  man  Johnson  and  of  one  Tourgee, 
the  Sheriff  of  Caswell,  Jesse  C.  Griffith,  who,  from  per- 
sonal acquaintance  and  from  wdiat  I  learn  from  others, 
is  a  most  estimable  man,  is  arrested  and  carried  to  Char- 
leston to  answer  some  indefinite  charge. 

I  earnestly  desire  from  you  a  statement  of  the  facts 
proved  on  the  trial  of  Johnson. 


To  Andrew  Johnson. 

October  2Jfth  1S61. 
Introducing  Allow  me  to  introduce  to  you  the  Hon.  Thos.  C.  Fuller, 

Thomas  C.  Fuller.  ^•     .•  -ii  n  !•       ^  -r^  •^^        ^  i 

a  distinguished  gentleman  oi  the  1'  ayetteviile  bar,  who 
visits  you  in  behalf  of  three  citizens  of  his  town,  Tolar, 
Powers  and  Watkins,  la'tely  tried  by  a  Military  Court, 
under  a  charge  of  murdering  a  negro,  named  Beebe. 

There  was  no  reasonable  ground  for  the  interposition 
of  a  Military  Court.  ISTo  respectable  officer  of  the  U.  S. 
Army  has  ever  intimated  that  justice  has  not  been  in- 
variably administered  fairly  and  impartially  in  our  Su- 
perior Courts  of  law.  In  this  case  the  Military  thought 
proper  to  take  cognizance  before  any  civil  Court  having 
power  to  try  the  alleged  offence,  could  act. 


CORKESPONDENCE    OF    JONATHAN   WoRTlI.  1057 

Tlie  conceded  facts  are  that  Beebe,  the  negro,  on  Sun- 
day, had  seized  a  young  lady  of  unquestionable  character, 
on  hor  return  home  from  (^hnrcli,  and  attempted  to  com- 
mit a  rape  on  her — that  the  community  was  naturally  ex- 
cited, and  on  his  arrest  and  preliminary  trial,  the  next 
day,  a  large  concourse  assembled,  and  that  when  they  saw 
the  neck  of  the  victim  lacerated,  by  the  brutal  grip  of 
Beebe,  to  prevent  her  cries  from  bringing  assistance  to 
her,  it  created  ungovernable  fury,  and  some  one  shot  and 
killed  Beebe.  The  evidence  as  to  the  person  who  fired 
the  fatal  shot  was  contradictory.  What  this  evidence 
was,  you  will  see  in  the  papers  submitted  to  you.  The 
dispute,  as  I  understand,  was  narrowed  down,  whether 
one  Phillips  or  Capt.  Tolar  killed  Beebe.  Phillips  had 
been  charged  and  released  by  the  Military  upon  turning 
State's  evidence.  The  evidence  was  contradictory  and 
turned  on  the  creditability  of  witnesses — which  a  jury  of 
the  vicinage  could  have  much  better  decided  than  a  Court 
composed  of  strangers.  What  the  decision  of  the  Court 
was  I  do  not  know — but,  I  am  sure,  all  of  the  most  intelli- 
gent and  virtuous  portion  of  our  people  believe  that  the 
defendants  ought  to  have  had  a  trial  by  jury — that  the 
evidence  before  the  military  Court  did  not  warrant  a 
conviction ; — and  if  the  defendants  were  capitally  pun- 
ished, all  good  men  would  be  horrified. 

I  hope  you  will  deem  the  case  one  proper  for  Executive 
clemency. 

If  you  should  deem  it  competent  for  you  to  set  aside 
the  finding  of  the  Military  Court,  and  to  direct  a  trial  by 
jury,  it  would  satisfy  justice  and  the  wishes  of  the  people. 

Every  one  of  these  military  trials  in  this  State  is  an  in- 
stance of  unjustifiable  military  oppression,  there  being  no 
pretence,  from  any  respectable  source,  that  there  is  any 
one  of  our  Judges  who  does  not  take  care  that  justice  is 
impartially  administered. 


Vol.  2—2(5 


105S  XoRTu  Carolina  Historical  Commission. 

To  D.  G.  Worth. 

Or  I.  ^Jf  1H(>7. 

onvarklus'maU^^^^         "^'"l'    ^'^'^    ll^*^'    ^^1^    <'P'"'^'^11    '^^"^    ^*'    1'"^^'    ^^''t'    ])(-'t>pl('    of    tllis 

kState  slioTild  vote  on  the  calling  or  reinsmg  to  call  a  (  on- 
vcntion  nndcr  the  military  acts  falsely  called  re-constinic- 
tion  acts. 

These  acts  require  the  Convention  to  amend  rhe  State 
Constitntion  so  as  to  allow  universal  negro  snffrage.  They 
declare  that  we  are  to  be  allowed  representation  in  Con- 
gress only  after  the  disfranchising  Howard  amendment 
shall  be  adopted  and  that  no  meml)er  of  (\)ngress  shall  be 
recognised  nnless  he  can  take  this  test  oath. 

This  Convention  is  called  by  Congress — not  by  the 
State:  Congress  determines  who  shall  vote  and  who  shall 
not,  in  violation  of  the  Constitntion  of  the  U.  S.,  which 
leaves  it  to  the  State  to  determine  who  shall  vote  and  who 
shall  not  vote — and  allows  each  State  to  regulate  irs  in- 
ternal affairs,  not  inconsistent  with  the  United  States. 

As  this  Convention  must  establish  negro  suffrage,  those 
only  should  vote  for  such  Convention,  who  believe  that 
it  is  constitutionally  called  and  tliat  universal  negro  suff- 
rage is  eN})edicnt  and  that  nobody  should  hold  office  save 
those  who  can  take  the  teste  oath.  As  1  believe  that  the 
call  of  a  Convention  is  in  violation  of  the  Constitution  of 
the  TT.  S.,  which  T  am  Ixmnd  by  oath  to  support — that  to 
establish  universal  negro  suffrage  is  to  base  government 
u])on  ignorance  instead  of  intelligence — even  if  there  were 
no  disfranchisement  of  white  men — and  as  the  acts  of 
Congress  snbmit  the  ([uestion  to  those  who  are  allowed 
to  vote,  whether  they  Avant  such  a  Convention  or  not,  I 
think  no  honoralde  man  in  X.  C.  ought  to  vote  for  tlie 
call. 

I  think  they  should  go  to  the  ])olls  ami  try  to  elect  con- 
servative delegates — and  not  vote  at  all  for  or  against 
Convention.  The  Convention  fails  if  a  majority  of  all 
the  registered  voters  fail  to  vote  for  or  against  Conven- 
tion.     According'  to   the   best   information   we   now   have 


CORKESPONDENCE    OF   JONATHAN    WoRTII.  1059 

05000  whites  and  G5000  negroes  have  registered  in  this 
State.  It  will  require  something  over  80000  votes  cast 
for  and  against  the  (,'onvention  to  call  it.  It  is  not  prob- 
able that  more  than  55,000  negro  votes  will  be  cast,  and 
if  less  than  25000  whites  vote  for  or  against  a  Convention, 
it  ninst  fail.  I  do  not  believe  anything  like  25000  whites 
will  vote  for  such  a  Convention.  If  concert  of  action  can 
l>e  brought  about  among  those  who  are  opposed  to  the  call, 
it  may  be  defeated,  by  non  voting  on  the  part  of  the  whites. 
I  am  confident  a  majority  of  the  whole  vote  cast  is  un- 
attainable—and my  only  hope  of  defeating  the  thing  is 
this  one  indicated :  and  if  this  fail,  in  the  refusal  of  the 
voters  to  ratify  the  Constitution  which  may  he  adopted. 

''It  is  never  expedient  to  do  wrong,"  and  hence  it  is 
inexpedient  to  change  by  our  act,  the  fundamental  laws 
of  the  State,  under  an  unconstitutional  act  of  Congress. 

This  is  intended  for  your  o^^^l  eye.  I  deem  it  inex- 
pedient to  avow  my  views  before  the  ]ml)lic. 

I  gave  my  views,  confidentially,  to  Mr.  Englehardt  a 
week  or  two  ago. 

^yILMINOT0N. 


To  Andrew  Johnson  and  IT.  H.  Seward. 

Oct.  25  1S67.  ' 
Capt.  A.  W.  Bolemins,  who  for  the  past  year  has  been 
acting  in  this  State  as  an  officer  of  the  Freedman's  Bu- 
reau, has  had  the  rare  good  fortune  to  discharge  his  duties 
with  such  marked  intelligence,  independence  and  impar- 
tiality as  to  connnand  the  respect  and  confidence  of  both 
whites  and  blacks. 

I  learn  from  him  that  he  has  a]i]died  or  will  apply  for 
the  appointment  of  Consul  to  the  Rhine  provinces  in  Ger- 
many.. 

I  shall  be  gratified  if  the  a])plication  shall  receive  your 
favorable  consideration. 


1060  XoKTK  Cakoha^a  Histokical  Commission. 

To  J.  W.  Purdie. 

Oct.  25  1867. 
Ill  regard  to  the  Xlic  military  cumniandaiit  has  thus  far  not  interfered 

tiUini?  of  vacancies  •/ 

in  oiiice.  with  any  appointments  to  office,  which  by  law  or  the  con- 

stitntion  is  vested  in  the  Govr.,  further  than  to  request 
me  in  vacancies,  such  as  that  of  judge,  to  submit  my  rec- 
ommendation, which  recommendation  has  been  thus  far 
respected,  by  an  appointment  of  my  nominee  by  the  Mili- 
tary Commandant. 

I  have  not  been  requested  to  send  to  the  Commandant 
my  recommendant  for  the  appointment  to  any  office  where 
the  filling  of  such  vacancy,  under  the  constitution  and 
laws  of  the  State,  is  vested  in  any  other  authority  than 
the  Govr. 

If  desirous  I  will  endorse  the  recommendation  of  a  ma- 
jority of  your  justices,  as  to  the  filling  of  the  resignation 
of  Mr.  Kemp.  As  his  successor  will  be  appointed  by 
military  authority  and  must  take  the  test  oath,  unless 
there  be  urgent  reasons  to  the  contrary,  would  it  not  be 
well  for  the  Court  to  refuse  to  accept  the  resigiiation  of 
Mr.  Kemp? 

ElIZABETIITOW'X. 


I 


I 


To  B.  G.  Worth. 

Oct.  25  1867. 
Since  writing  you  this  morning  I  have  seen  Mr.  Best — 
and  find  that  the  grants  to  which  I  referred  were  issued 
for  another  speculating  firm — Baker  having  no  connec- 
tion with  them.  Mr.  Best  says  he  gave  the  printed  form 
of  our  grants  to  Baker — without  his  or  my  signature  or 
the  great  seal  of  the  State — and  a  separate  certificate 
signed  by  him  and  me,  that  whenever  he  produced  proper 
certificates  of  entries  and  surveys  and  paid  the  purchase 
money,  that  he  could  get  grants.  I  learn  that  no  gi-ant 
has  issued  to  him.  He  certainly  regards  persons  w^anting 
to  buy  land  as  very  green  and  easily  humbugged. 


COKKJSSPONDENCE    OF    JoNATlIAN    WoKTII.  1061 

I  regard  Genl.  Canby  as  an  unostentatious  and  candid '''P'"'''jn'jf^-'a"''y- 
Radical.  He  has  treated  me  with  uniform  courtesy,  per- 
sonal and  official,  and  has  occasionally  reformed  some  of 
the  many  absurd  additions  he  has  made  to  the  Sickles 
code,  upon  my  representation,  I  regard  him  as  an  honest 
man,  believing  in  the  expediency  and  constitutionality  of 
the  obstruction  acts  and  therefore  cordially  co-operating 
with  the  less  vindicative  portion  of  the  Radical  Congress. 
I  do  not  perceive  that  we  are  benefitted  by  the  exchange 
of  Canby  for  Sickles.  I  think  he  holds  our  domestic 
Radicals  in  less  contempt  than  Sickles  and  is  much  more 
esteemed  bv  Holden  ^  Co.  than  S.  was. 


To  J.  C.  Pass. 
Confidential. 

Oct.  25  1867. 
I  do  not  deem  it  expedient  for  reasons  I  have  not  time  opinion  of  the  con 

-^       _  _  stitutionality  of 

to  explain  on  paper,  to  give  any  public  advice  to  the  peo-  **^  convention. 

pie  touching  the  matter  about    which  you    ask  for  my 

view^s. 

The  proposed  Convention  is  called  by  an  Act  of  Con- 
gi'ess  which  prescribes  who  are  to  vote  and  who  are  not 
to  vote. 

This.  I  regard  as  a  violation  of  the  Constitution  of  the 
United  States. 

If  the  Convention  be  called  it  is  required  to  declare 
universal  suffrage  to  all  male  negroes  over  21  years  old, 
regardless  of  intelligence,  and  it  may  deny  the  right  of 
suffrage  to  as  many  white  men  as  it  may  thiuk  proper. 

All  ^\ho  vote  for  a  Convention  necessarily  vote  for  uni- 
versal negro  suffrage  as  a  provision  in  our  Constitution, 
which  is  not  at  all  likely  could  be  amended  for  generations, 
because  constitutional  amendments  require  more  than  a 
majority — and  all  the  negroes  would  vote  on  such  amend- 
ment. 


10(52  ^oKTii  Cakolina  Histokical  Commission. 

This  I  regard  as  IniiiKliug  govcniiiu  lit  on  ujnurnncc 
and   not  on  iiilelligciicc,  and  1  eonld   not    vote  for  it. 

If  I  lie  Convention  do  all  that  is  required,  we  are  not 
to  lie  admitted  to  representation  nntil  we  ratify  the  How- 
ard aniendnieiit  and  elect  iiKunbers  who  can  take  the  teste 
oath, 

I  can  see  no  hope  for  the  future  under  such  a  govern- 
ment. iSTo  voluntary  act  of  mine  shall  fix  such  a  govern- 
ment on  us.  If  Congress  have  sometiiing  worse  in  re- 
serve for  us,  I  can  submit  to  power  I  cannot  resist — and 
obey — but  not  voluntary  sanction  what  my  judgment  and 
conscience   disapprove. 

As  a  majority  of  all  the  registered  voters  must  vote 
on  the  question  of  Convention  or  no  Convention,  in  order 
to  carry  the  measure,  if  I  had  a  vote  and  desired  to  de- 
feat the  call,  I  should  go  to  the  polls  and  vote  for  the 
best  delegates  and  would  not  vote  at  all  for  or  against  a 
Convention. 

There  are  (say)  (15, 000  registered  negro  voters  and  5)5,- 
000  wliites.  To  carry  the  Convention  a  little  more  than 
80,000  must  vote.  iSTot  more  than  55,000  negroes  will 
vote.  Then  a  little  more  than  25,000  white  must  vote 
for  and  against  Convention,  or  it  fails. 

You  may  use  these  ideals  as  you  please,  but  not  as  com- 
ing from  me.  You  must  not  use  my  name  in  connection 
with  the  subject. 

T  hold  that  '^'it  is  never  ex]iedient  to  do  wrong";  and 
witli  niv  views,  if  T  were  to  favor  such  a  Convention,  T 
sliould  violate  my  oath  to  support  the  Constitution  of  the 
V.  S.  and  otherwise  do  what  I  believe  to  be  wrong. 


4 


To  Wilt  lam  Clarl-. 

Ealeigh  Oct.  26/67. 
oiiininnsasio  The  prcssurc  of  luy   imperative   duties  denies   me   the 

])leasnre  of  complying  with  yonr  request  to  write  you  often. 


■]>o!itic> 


COKKESPONDEXCE    OF   JoNATHA>;    WoiiTII.  10G3 

In  domestic  matters  nothing-  imjioi-taiit  has  occurred,  1 
believe,  since  I  last  wrote  yon.  I  think  my  hist  was  since 
the  death  of  my  mother,  which  has  created  a  ])ast  to  wliidi 
my  mind  is  continnally  recurring. 

Politically  I  have  seen  little  to  encourage  hope  for  the 
future.  The  [ivo7-ds  Ulegihle^  which  seems  to  have  pos- 
sessed the  dominant  majority  of  the  nation  is  that  the  con- 
tinned  ascendency  of  the  party  now  in  power,  is  essential 
to  the  well  being  of  the  nation — and  that,  this  case  nnist 
be  affected  by  the  ascendency  of  the  negro  element  in  the 
States  lately  in  rebellion,  and  by  silencing  the  popnlar  will 
in  jMaryland,  Delaware  Kentucky,  and  elsewdiere,  if  Radi- 
cal representation  to  Congress  be  not  returned. 

This  reverses  the  old  idea  that  in  a  Repnblic  the  voter 
shonld  be  intelligent.  There  can  be  no  people  in  Chris- 
tendom more  ignorant  than  the  lately  emancipated  slaves, 
they  are  all  to  vote  who  are  males  above  21  years  old — 
while  the  great  bulk  of  experienced  intelligence  is  denied 
the  right  to  vote.  Every  body  hitherto  deemed  fit  for  a 
constable.  Post  Master,  County  Register,  or  any  other 
office,  State  or  National,  who  held  any  of  these  positions  at 
any  time  within  40  years  before  the  war,  yonr  people  have 
declared  nnfit  to  vote,  but  every  Secessionist,  provided  he 
had  held  no  office  before  the  war,  though  he  may  have  been 
gnilty  of  all  the  enormities  yon  impnte  to  us  in  the  prog- 
ress of  the  war,  is  entitled  to  vote. 

In  order  to  insure  the  election  of  Radicals  to  all  offices 
State  and  jSTational,  you  have  instituted  and  encouraged 
secret  societies  here  for  the  organization  of  the  negroes, 
and  all  that  part  of  the  white  population  who  are  willing 
to  l)uy  favor  by  fawning,  who  are  bound  by  oath  to  vote 
only  for  the  nominees  of  such  societies. 

When  the  whites  see  all  the  negToes  and  a  few  time 
serving  whites,  headed  by  Holden  and  other  base  men. 
formed  into  a  coalition  devised  and  carried  out  by  the 
Xorth,  with  the  aid  of  the  military,  to  give  political  as- 
cendenc}'  to  the  negro  race,  it  naturally  produces  hostility 


1064  jSTokth  Carolina  Historical  Comjmissiok. 

between  races  and  liatrt'd  toward  the  faction  which  tram- 
ples on  all  the  manhood  of  the  Sonth.  Those  who  most 
steadily  adhered  to  the  Union  throughout  the  war  believ- 
ing the  object  of  the  iSTorth  was  to  uphold  the  Constitution 
«nd  the  Union,  when  they  now  find,  even  by  the  declara- 
tion of  the  acknowledged  leader  of  Congress,  that  they  are 
legislating  regardless  of  the  Constitution; — When  he  is 
blind,  who  does  not  see  that  the  dominant  power  is  keeping 
the  Union  dissolved,  in  order  to  maintain  party  ascendancy, 
intense  hatred  towards  those,  who  thus  act  towards  u^, 
is  the  consequence  with  all  save  the  most  ignorant — - 
and  the  hypocrites  who  boj)e  to  control  the  country  by 
fawning  to  the  negroes  and  our  oppressors.  The  natural 
consequence  of  the  action  of  Congress  is  to  generate  and 
intensify  sectional  hatred  and  hostility  between  the  blacks 
and  whites. 

The  manifest  result  of  Congressional  legislation,  in- 
volves the  keeping  up  in  Souther  States  an  enormous 
army,  to  the  overthrow  of  civil  liberty  and  the  impoverish- 
ment of  the  whole  nation — and  the  ultimate  extermination 
of  the  white  or  black  race  of  the  South. 

The  democrats  of  the  Xorth  now  wear  the  livery  of  the 
old  Whig  party.  Their  watch-words  are  the  Constitution 
and  the  Union — Reduction  of  the  standing  army  and  the 
expenses  of  the  Government — not  restoration  of  the  Union 
by  efforts  to  restore  us  to  the  Union  by  magnanimous  for- 
bearance and  lenity — the  Union  not  resting  on  the  sword, 
but  national  fraternity.  The  gTeat  Union  element  of  the 
South  w^as  the  old  Whig  party.  This  party  abhorred  De- 
mocracy and  Abolition  as  disunion  elements.  We  now  find 
the  only  consistent  advocates  of  the  Constitution  and  the 
Union  act  under  the  name  of  Democrats. 

Consequences  are  very  obvious.  All  good  and  intelli- 
gent men  here  say  little  or  nothing.  They  know  they  are 
under  a  grinding  military  despotism :  that  personal  security 
imposes  silence  or  hypocritical  obedience  to  despotic  power, 
but  there  are  few  who  do  not  regard  our  rulers  as  guided 
by  the  spirit  of  the  Father  of  all  Evil. 


CoRRESPOXDE^-CE    OF    JoXATIlA.X     WOKTII.  l(J6i 

All  fools,  etc.,  know  that  the  government  we  are  re- 
quired to  establish  by  the  late  acts  of  Congress,  based  on 
universal  negro  suffrage  and  the  disfranchisement  of  the 
most  intelligent  whites,  cannot  stand  or  must  result  in 
turning  these  States  into  negro  colonies — but  the  voting 
power,  as  arranged  bv  Congress,  will  probably  result  in 
the  adoption  of  this  horrible  monstrosity. 

I  regard  this  hastily  wriiten  communication  as  entirely 
personal.  It  is  a  calm  impression  of  my  conscientious 
sentiments — but  I  live  under  a  reigii  of  terror  and  deem  it 
unsafe  and  unprofitable  to  publish  my  convictions. 

I  heartily  abhorred  Secessionism  and  abolitionism — as 
equally  tending  and  intended  to  break  up  the  Union.  My 
views  have  undergone  no  change:  but  I  now  regard  Re- 
publicanism, as  exhibited  by  the  action  of  Congress,  as 
equally  Devilish,  and  infinitely  meaner  than  either  of  those 
old  disunion  parties. 

At  the  close  of  the  war  my  negroes,  able  to  make  a  liv- 
ing, except  Steve,  to  whom  I  have  paid  regular  wages,  left 
me.  A  negro  woman  aged  about  35  with  two  boys — one 
about  13  and  one  about  11 — and  one  girl -about  7  or  8 —  ' 
Aunt  Lizzie,  who  has  been  blind  for  some  20  years  re- 
mained with  me.  They  have  been  an  inconvenient  burden 
to  me. 

The  woman  is  honest — healthy — a  good  cook  and 
washer — of  excellent  temper.  Her  children  all  healthy 
and  smart — and  the  labor  of  the  family  properly  directed^ 
ought  to  be  more  than  equal  to  their  support — but  situated 
as  I  am,  they  are  a"ud  have  been  ever  since  I  owned  them, 
a  burden  to  me — but  I  have  felt  unwilling  to  cast  poor 
Lizzie  and  the  rest  of  them  upon  the  world.  And  the 
boys  are  reaching  an  age  when  they  will  acquire  bad  habits 
if  not  governed.  With  a  Freedmen's  bureau  here  the 
necessary  discipline  cannot  be  used  here  to  bring  them  up 
so  as  to  be  useful  men.  The  woman  has  no  tact  to  gov- 
ern the  boys,  or  to  make  a  living,  if  turned  loose  to  look 
out  for  herself.      Ko  sensible  man  will  take  a  negro  appren- 


1066  Xoinii  C'akoljxa  Historical  Co.m.missiox. 

ticc  while  ;iii  nrhit  riirv  Tvibiiual  exists  here  before  whieh 
he  is  li;il)i(^  to  be  siiiiiuioiied  ami  tlie  iiiui'iitures  eaii  b' 
caHed  at  ihe  pleasure  of  some  contemptible  autocrat. 

1  called  on  the  Chief  of  the  Freedniaii's  bureau  a  dav 
oi"  two  ago  and  made  a  representation  of  these  facts.  He 
agreed  to  accept  Liz/Ac  in  his  hospital  here — and  advised 
nie  if  I  coiikl  get  some  responsible  person  in  your  State 
or  other  Northern  States  to  agree  to  look  ont  homes  and 
emplovment  for  the  woman  and  children,  he  would  send 
them  at  the  expense  of  the  government  to  such  person.  If 
yon  W'ill  assume  the  commission  of  receiving  and  looking 
out  for  them,  I  will  immediately  send  them,  if  I  can  get 
their  consent  to  go.  I  think  I  can  ]u-evail  on  them  to  go. 
What  say  you  'i 

Dr.  Roberts  who  married  Corinna  with  their  childi'en 
are  living  with  us.  lie  is  in  failing  health — consumption 
— and  I  fear  wnll  never  recover.  He  has  no  property. 
Ivoxana,  with  little  left  save  her  land,  and  surrounded  with 
vast  numbers  of  lazy,  thriving  negroes,  can't  make  her 
land  sup])ort  her  and  educate  her  children  respectably.  1 
shall  have  to  aid  her  wdiile  I  live.  With  these  burdens  on 
my  income  I  must  be  economical. 

The  legislation  of  Congress,  establishing  the  ])olitical 
ascendency  of  the  negro,  repels  all  immigration  from  here 
except  from  Africa  and  hence  we  can't  sell  our  lands — 
otherwise  few"  discreet  white  persons  would  remain.  If 
it  were  possible  for  me  to  sell  Roxana's  lands  for  half 
what  they  were  worth  at  the  beginning  of  the  war,  I 
should  urge  her  to  sell  out  and  remove  to  the  West. 

Economy^  Indiana. 


To  William  A.  (Irnliam. 

Oct.  28  1867. 
The  Reconstruc-  I  heartilv  coucur  in  Your  late  letter  touching  the  acts 

tion  acts.  •  ■  ~ 

falsely  called  Reconstruction.      It  is  incomprehensible  to 
me  how  anybody  not  willing  to  give  to  every  male  negro 


COBBESPONDENCE    OF   JoNATHAX   WoKTII,  1067 

al).»ve  21  years  old  the  Constitntioiial  riiiht  to  vote;  and 
not  willing  to  adojit  the  Howard  Anieiidiiicnt,  can  vote 
"for  Convention":  hnt  the  only  chance  to  defeat  the  call, 
if  there  be  any,  is  by  nnanimons  non-voting  for  or  against 
Convention,  by  those  who  wonld  defeat  it.  In  this  way 
I  am  by  no  means  certain  that  a  majority  of  all  the  regis- 
tered voters  conld  be  had. 

I  deem  it  inexpedient,  if  not  Tmjnst  to  the  ])eopk%  to 
give  publicity  to  this  opinion.  It  wonld  donbtless  resnlt 
in  my  removal  and  the  appointment  of  a  Radical  Govr — 
and  wonld  thns  be  to  alarm  the  people  and  to  increase 
rather  than  diminish,  the  anti  Convention  vote. 

PIlLLSBOEO. 


From  David  G.  Worth. 
TTii^MiNGTox,  X.  C.  Oct.  2Sth  1867. 

Your  two  letters  of  24th,  25th  have  been  reed.  I  thank 
yon  for  answers  to  my  questions  about  Convention.  The 
Journal  does  not  seem  to  me  very  decided  as  to  what 
course  to  take.  I  think  it  favors  the  idea  of  bringing  all 
the  force  possible  to  bear  against  Convention  and  not  let- 
ting it  go  by  default.  If  you  could  only  with  safety  speak 
out  your  views  they  would  have  a  powerful  influence  but 
on  the  whole  it  must  be  most  politic  and  advisable  that  you 
kee])  silent.  The  jieoj^le  here  seem  cowed — or  at  least  hope- 
less of  success  and  therefore  are  not  exerting  themselves. 

The  Str.  "Gov.  Worth"  will  leave  here  on  Monday  the 
11th  of  Xovr. — she  can  leave  very  early  in  the  morning 
and  reach  Fayetteville  early  Tuesday  morning  which  will 
suit  you  precisely.  You  had  better  come  down  Saturday 
and  stay  with  Sunday.  Can't  Ma  come  with  you,  or  in 
advance  of  you.  We  should  like  so  much  to  have  her  with 
us  now.  We  are  all  very  well.  We  have  hail  a  most 
severe  rain  and  wind  storm  today.  It  has  continued  since 
9  o'clock  this  morning  till  now  5  o'clock  P.  ]\r. 


1068  l^ORTii  Carolina  Historical  Commission. 

I  am  very  glad  to  liear  of  D.  Robert's  improved  condi- 
tion.    IMnch  love  to  all. 


To  James  IT.  0 shorn. 

Oct.  29  1S67. 
Personal  and  Confidential. 

KeconTtra"tion  ^^J  private  Soc.  lias  answered  the  business  portion  of  yr. 

letter.  In  relation  to  yr.  observations  toneliing  the  moas- 
Mres  falsely  denominated  re-constniction  measures  I  deem 
it  unjust  to  those  who  supported  me  for  my  present  posi- 
tion, to  make  a  public  avowal  of  my  views.  I  believe 
these  acts  to  be  in  violation  of  the  Constitution  of  the  U. 
S.,  which,  independent  of  my  re])eated  oaths  to  support  it, 
I  regard  as  furnishing  the  best  basis  of  good  government 
which  can  be  devised. 

I  regard  a  vote  for  the  proposed  Convention  as  endorsing 
universal  negro  suffrage,  and  the  HoAvard  amendment — 
wdiich  I  regard  as  basing  government  on  the  ignorance  in- 
stead of  the  intelligence  of  the  governing  power.  This  I 
regard  as  wrong,  per  se,  and  I  hold  that  it  is  never  expe- 
dient to  do  wrong.  If  I  had  a  vote,  Avhich  is  denied  me, 
I  would  vote  for  delegates  in  order  to  mitigate  the  evil  of 
such  a  Convention — and  as  the  most  effectual  way  to  ex- 
press my  disapprobation  of  the  whole  scheme,  I  would  not 
vote  for  or  against  Convention. 

This  is  giving  you  frankly  (but  confidentially)  my  de- 
cided convictions.  I  have  not  leisure  to  discuss  the  sub- 
ject more  fully. 

It  seems  to  me  positively  humiliating  for  a  ISTorth  Caro- 
lina white  man  to  vote  for  a  Convention  which  must  estab- 
lish universal  negro  suffrage — and  which  expressly  con- 
templates the  adoption  of  tlie  disfrauehisina;  Howard 
amendment  as  an  indis])ensalile  preliminary  to  allowing  us 
a  representation  in  Congress  by  teste  oath  men. 

Charlotte. 


I 


CORKESPONDENCE    OF    JONATHAN    WoRTH.  1069 

From  Benjamin  Asl^eiu  to  Sion  II.  Eogers. 
Tkenton  Jones  County  X.  C.  Oct.  30  1807. 

The  Militaiy  aiithoritics  having  removed  the  Slierift"  of 
the  County  from  otifiee  and  appointed  another  one  in  his 
phice  vdiose  bond  has  not  been  accepted  by  the  magistrates 
of  the  Connty,  on  the  grounds  of  insufficiency  and  the 
absence  of  one  obligor  to  said  bonds  to  acknowledge  the 
execution  of  the  same  by  him.  I  have  since  been  directed 
and  ordered  by  the  Military  authorities  at  ISTewbern  to  re- 
ceive said  bonds,  file  the  same  and  qualify  the  new  ap- 
pointee notwithstanding  its  non-acceptance  by  the  Court. 
There  is  no  probate  on  the  bonds  or  any  revenue  stamps 
or  any  evidence  of  its  acceptance.  The  Chairman  of  the 
Court  declines  to  put  his  probate  upon  it.  Please  inform 
me  if  the  Clerk  can  deliver  it  to  the  Public  Registry  in  its 
present  shape  and  advise  me  what  further  action  to  take 
in  the  premises. 


To  John  II.   Wheeler. 

Raleigh,  Oct.  81/67. 

I  am  having  the  statistics  collected  which  you  desire  for  The  military 
your  second  edition  of  your  JJistory  ol  jM.  C.  from  au- 
thentic sources  and  wdll  endeavor  in  a  few  days  to  forward 
to  you  a  full  compliance  with  your  requests. 

Our  condition  has  been  in  no  respects  bettered  by  the 
substitution  of  Genl.  C.  for  Genl.  S.  He  continues  to  en- 
large the  iniquitous  code  which  S.  inflicted  on  us.  He 
has  not  revoked  a  single  one  of  the  edicts  of  S.  so  far  as  I 
can  remember.  He  has  modified  some  of  them  by  making 
them  more  objectionable.  He  continues  his  military  courts 
to  try  civilians — arresting  and  carrying  them  to  Charles- 
ton for  trial  without  any  preliminary  investigations,  to  the 
utter  ruin  generally  of  the  section.  The  protractive  char- 
acter of  these  military  trials  makes  them  so  expensive  to 


1070  XoRTii  Carolixa  Historical  Commission. 

llie  acc'ii^jcd,  that  few  i>c't  tliruni;li  tJiciii  with  any  siibsist- 
euce  left.  There  is  no  just  pretext  for  the  holding  of  these 
Courts  to  try  civilians.  No  honorable  Yankee  oflficer — 
not  even  ITolden — can  i)retend  that  justice  is  not  inipai'- 
tially  administered  in  our  Supr.  Courts.  It  is  masked 
Uialevolent  oi)pressive.  C.  has  lately  allowed  the  accused 
to  give  hail  in  cases  l)ailahle  by  our  laws,  but  by  strange 
conditions  in  the  bail  bond,  he  has  made  it  ditHcult  to  Cfun- 
ply  with  hi?  re(piirements.  Xo  one  knows  at  what  hour 
he  may  he  arrested,  for  some  pretended  offence,  not  made 
known  to  him  and  without  preliminary  trial,  and  impris- 
oned in  a  military  fortress.     S.  began  this — C.  continues  it. 

S.  created  at  Fayetteville  what  he  denominated  a  Pro- 
vost Court — with  jurisdiction  to  try  all  suits  in  five  coun- 
ties, civil  and  criminal — not  extending  to  life — appointed 
three  mechanics  no  one  of  whom  was  a  justice  of  the  peace, 
much  less  a  lawyer,  to  })reside  over  this  Court  with  a  salary 
of  $4.  per  day  to  he  paid  out  of  the  fines  they  should  im- 
pose. Such  a  characture  upon  justice  has  not  been  heard 
of  since  Sancho  Panza's  day.  C.  continues  this  mon- 
strosity— having  somewhat  curtailed  its  jurisdicti(m.  S. 
required  every  body,  white  and  black,  who  had  paid  a  poll 
tax  this  year,  to  be  put  on  the  lists  and  juries  drawn  there- 
from, leaving  the  Court  no  power  to  purge  the  lists  by 
casting  out  either  the  ignorant  or  the  inferiors :  C.  has 
amended  this  by  some  power  to  purge  the  lists,  but  has 
made  the  edict  far  worse  by  disqualifying  all  unregistered 
persons  to  serve  on  juries.  Trial  by  juries  thus  composed 
is  worse  than  a  farce.  It  would  have  been  better  to  have 
a1)olished  trial  by  jury.  In  an  interview  I  lately  had  with 
the  General,  expressing  urgent  remonstrance  against  ex- 
cludini:  unregistered  men,  he  ])romised  to  limit  his  order 
so  as  to  allow  them  to  be  be  sworn,  reserving  the  right  of 
challenge  to  either  party.  In  his  revised  order  received 
last  night  he  has  not  made  the  ]n'omised  change. 

He  is  continually  announcing  the  removal  of  justices 
of   the   peace,    shffs    and    even   constables   upon    ex  parte 


Correspondence  of  Jonathan  Worth.  1071 

eliaraes,  not  made  known  to  the  accnsed,  and  filling  the 
vacancies  witliout  any  reference  to  the  will  of  those  among 
■\\li(ini  the  officers  are  to  serve. 

^!_v  acqnaintance  with  General  Canhy  makes  me  regard 
him  favorably  as  a  candid,  miostcntatious  man,  bnt  I 
think  he  is,  from  convictions,  an  extreme  Radical  and  lie 
conseqnently  execntes  the  legislation  of  the  Congress,  not 
simply  from  a  sense  of  administrative  dnty,  hnt  from  be- 
lief that  snch  legislation  is  wise,  jnst  and  constitntional.  T 
regard  him  as  incapable  of  the  magnanimons  and 
statesmanlike  views  expressed  by  Genl  S.  in  his  late  to 
Trnmbnll — bnt  I  do  not  believe,  when  he  leaves  ns,  that  he 
will  slander  ns  as  S.  has  in  his  late  speeches  by  an  entire 
disregard  of  trnth.  In  two  cases  which  he  has  cited  to 
show  the  necessity  of  keeping  np  military  government  here, 
the  Johnson  case  and  the  case  of  whipping  a  negro  woman, 
he  has  wilfnlly  and  ignobly  perverted  the  facts. 

This  hastily  written  letter  is  called  forth  by  yonr  in- 
qniries.  You  mnst  regard  it  as  strictly  personal  and  con- 
fidential. I  do  not  deem  it  jnst  to  those  who  placed  me 
in  my  present  honorable  position  to  luring  about  my  re- 
moval and  the  snbstitntion  of  Holden  or  other  vindictive 
Radicals,  which  I  snijpose  wonld  be  the  resnlt  of  the  pub- 
lication of  this  letter.  I  should  feel  no  personal  grief  at 
such  a  result,  luit  do  not  feel  that  I  would  be  justified  in 
juddishing  views  which  would  be  likely  to  bring  about 
such  result,  and  which  would  not  be  likely  to  do  any  good. 

We  live  under  an  unmitigated  despotism.  The  adop- 
tion of  the  Congressional  ]slan,  falsely  called,  reconstruc- 
tion, would  but  fasten  this  des])otism  on  us  and  bring  on 
ourselves  self-degradation. 

As  the  President  no  doul)t  thinks  he  mitigated  our 
troubles  by  the  substitution  of  Canby  for  Sickles.  I  have 
no  objection  that  he  see  this  letter.  Beyond  this  let  it  be 
regarded  as  strictly  confidential. 

I  see  no  hope  for  the  future  save  in  the  returning  sense 
of  ]!atriotism   and  justice  on  the  ]iart  of  oui'  cmupierors. 


1072  North  Caroluva  IIistokical  Commissiom, 

The  nation  is  now  divided  into  conquerors  and  conquered) 
and  the  vanqnished  are  at  the  merc.y  of  those  who  hold  the 
bayonets. 

Wasiiingtox,  D.  C. 


To  Henry  T.  Clarlc. 

Nov.  2  1SG7. 
Jury  regulations.  Since  the  first  movement  by  Genh  Sickles  proscribing 
a  mode  of  drawing  juries,  the  effect  of  Avhicb  as  I  con- 
ceived would  be  to  make  trial  by  jnry  a  farce,  I  have  been 
in  correspondence  with  the  generals  in  command,  nsing 
my  utmost  efforts  to  get  modifications  of  the  orders,  which 
would  make  them  more  tolerable.  Genl.  S's  order  JSTo.  32 
required  the  drawing  of  the  jury  from  the  list  of  tax-payers 
this  year — without  allowing  the  Court  before  drawing,  to 
purge  the  list,  by  casting  out  the  infamous,  or  deaf  or 
blind  or  idiots  and  others  manifestly  unfit  to  serve. 

Genl.  Canby,  by  his  order  No.  89,  modified  No.  32,  by 
inserting  the  words  "and  who  are  qualified"  and  he  au- 
thorised me  to  say  to  the  Courts  that  he  means  by  these 
Avords  to  authorise  the  Courts  to  purge  the  lists  of  tax- 
payers, before  drawing,  by  casting  out  the  names  of  such 
persons  as  they  may  deem  "'unfit  to  serve  as  jurors.  Of 
course  he  could  not  sustain  any  interpretation  that  all  ne- 
groes are  "unfit,"  but  it  will  enable  you  to  cast  out  the 
vicious  and  grossly  ignorant  and  others  physically  unable 
to  serve.  But  Genl.  Canby's  order  No.  89,  as  I  under- 
stand it  would  exclude  from  the  list  all  tax-payers  not 
registered  as  voters.  I  insisted  that  the  Courts  could  not 
comply  with  this  order  until  they  were  furnished  with 
certified  copy  of  the  Registration  books — and  that 
thought  the  fact  that  a  citizen,  denied  the  right  to  vote  foi 
a  political  object,  should  [not  ?]  be  held  so  contaminated,  a^ 
to  be  unfit  to  be  a  juror.  His  last  order  No.  109,  a  copy  oJ 
which  I  herewith  enclose,  I  understand  as  not  requiring 


Correspondence  of  Jonathan  Worth.  1073 

the  unregistered  voter  to  be  excluded  from  the  list,  but 
after  he  shall  have  been  drawn  and  put  on  the  jury,  gives 
the  right  of  challenge  to  each  of  the  parties.  The  order 
seems  to  me  to  be  absolutely  expressed,  but  I  have  written 
the  General  that  this  is  my  interpretation :  and  not  having 
heard  from  him,  dissenting  to  this  interpretation,  your 
Court  may  act  on  it. 

I  am  prevented  by  extreme  pressure  of  urgent  business 
from  replying  to  the  other  portion  of  your  letter.  I  would 
gladly  do  so  if  I  had  time.  I  can  only  say  now  that  I 
am  firmly  convinced  that  I  acted  judicially  and  properly 
in  the  matter  to  which  you  refer  and  that  I  feel  confident, 
when  I  shall  see  vou  or  find  leisure  to  write  a  Ions:  letter, 
I  shall  convince  you  that  my  action  in  the  matter  ought 
not  to  diminish  the  confidence  and  regard  you  have  hitherto 
felt  for  me  and  which  1  so  highly  appreciate. 

Tarboro. 


To  John  W.  Ilaugliton. 

Nov.  2  1S67. 

I  have  reed  and  forwarded  to  Genl.  Canby  the  petition 
of  the  Sheriff  of  Jones  with  my  favorable  endorsement — ■ 
but  whei-e  a  removal  is  made  upon  a  secret  ex-parte  repre- 
sentation, I  need  not  say  to  you  that  there  is  little  hope  of 
redress.  The  maxim  of  justice  that  a  party  accused 
should  never  be  convicted  unheard  is  w'cll  understood  by 
all  men,  whether  rendered  familiar  with  the  administra- 
tion of  justice  by  practice  or  not.  * 

Xew  Bern. 


To  Z.  B.  Vance. 

Raleigh  Nov.  3/67. 
I  have  urged  upon  Judge  Gilmer  to  go  to  Charlotte, 
even  if  he  could  not  get  there  till  the  train  woidd  carry 
him  down  on  Saturday. 
Vol.  2—27 


1074  XoRTii  Carolina  Historical  Commissiox. 

Sinco  I  saw  you  I  have  rc('oiv('(l  fmin  Genl.  Caiiby  the 
jjctition  of  ynnr  tiriii — Vance  tS:  Dowd — in  l)ehalf  of  cer- 
tain of  your  clients  who  have  claims  against  the  AV.  C. 
&■  R.  R.  R.  Co.,  substantially  asking  his  interposition  for 
the  relief  on  your  clients  on  the  ground  that  our  laws,  as  in- 
tcrjn-eted  by  our  Justices,  would  not  render  justice  to 
your  clients — and  therefore  asking  in  their  behalf  the  in- 
terposition of  the  military  Commandant  of  District  Xo.  2. 
I  had.  hoped  that  gentlemen  of  the  bar  would  not  have 
asked  of  the  military  despotism  now  ruling  over  us,  any 
thing  more  than  non-interference  with  our  laws  and  their 
administration  by  our  Courts. 

My  answer  to  Genl.  Canby  compliments  Capt.  Inzalla 
for  his  intelligent  commentary  upon  your  application,  and 
refusal  to  comply  with  the  prayers  of  your  petition. 

Charlotte. 


To  J.  M.  Coffin. 

Nov.  6,  1867. 
******* 

I  am  overjoyed  at  the  election  issues.  It  affords  rea- 
sonable hope  that  we  are  not  to  be  driven  into  barbarism 
and  will  tend  powerfully  to  restore  friendly  relations 
again  between  the  Xortli  and  the  South.  Of  all  the  par- 
ties the  Devil  has  ever  set  up  to  atHict  good  men,  he  has 
brought  his  work  nearest  to  perfection  in  the  present  Ee- 
pul)liean  party. 

Salisbi'ry. 


To  R.  Y.  McAden. 


Raleigh,  Nov.  8/67. 
urgintr  him  to  i.e         Fi'om  all  I  cau  Icarn  a  Radical  will  be  elected  from 

a  candidate. 

Alamance  unless  vou  consent  to  be  a  candidate.     If  this 


i 


Correspondence  of  Jonathan  Worth.  1075 

be  so,  I  trust  I  need  not  urge  you  to  run.      Personal  as 
well  as  patriotic  consideration's  should  urge  you  to  run. 

I  do  not  supj)ose  that  ultra  Ilolden  Radicals  have  the 
ascendant  iu  Alamance,  l)ut  there  is  Imt  a  shade  of  differ- 
ence between  the  moderate  and  the  ultra  Republicans.  I 
regard  the  former  as  the  more  dangerous.  The  extrava- 
i  gance  of  the  ultra  defeat  their  designs.  The  moderate  go 
for  re-construction  on  the  Congressional  plan — to-wit,  uni- 
versal negro  suffrage — the  ratification  of  the  Howard 
amendment  of  the  Constitution — and  the  teste  oath  as 
qualification  for  office.  Once  get  these  provisions  inserted 
in  the  fundamental  law,  so  that  they  can  only  be  expunged 

by  the  concurrence  of  a  large  part  of  the  negro  vote 

Universal  negro  suffrage  is  utter  ruin  to  the  South. 

T  hope  you  wull  run.      As  my  affidavit  may  be  necessary 
that  Holt  has  paid  me  nothing  I  think  I  will  go  up  on 
Thursday  of  your  Court  and  accept  your  invitation  to  be 
your  guest. 
Graha:^!. 


To  General  E.  B.  S.  Canhy. 

Raleigh  Nov.  8th  1S67. 

I  enclose  copy  of  a  communication  from  the  Chairman 
of  Jones  County  Court  sent  thro  me  to  the  Attorney  Gen- 
eral. 

I  do  not  perceive  that  the  opinion  of  the  Attorney  Gen- 
eral can  be  of  any  importance  to  the  writer  and  send  a 
copy  of  this  to  you  in  order  to  bring  the  facts,  as  stated 
by  j\rr.  Whitaker  to  your  attention  for  such  action  as  you 
may  deem  expedient — respectfully  suggesting  that  unless 
there  be  very  cogent  reasons  to  the  contrary,  the  old  Sheriff 
ought  to  be  allowed  to  com]ilcte  the  collection  of  taxes  due 
on  the  lists  in  his  hands  at  the  time  of  his  removal. 


1076  North  Carolina  Historical  Commission. 

From  Joshua  Boner. 

Salem,  K  C.  Novemher  Sih  18G7. 

A  little  matter  turned  up  today  of  so  trifling  a  nature, 
3'ct  of  interest  enough,  to  awaken  the  inquiry,  "Is  it 
right  ?"  The  Revenue  Collector  John  Worth  appeared  at 
the  Court  ITouse  this  day  to  collect  revenue-tax ;  and  as  I 
had  failed  to  appear  there  some  time  heretofore,  (simply 
because  I  had  no  notice  of  it)  I  found  a  note  on  my  table 
notifying  me  that  the  tax  of  $1.00  had  increased  to  the 
amount  of  $3.70 ! ! !  The  old  assessor  Dr.  Johnson  had 
promised  me  to  pay  this  tax,  and  consequently  I  spoke  to 
Mr.  Worth;  and  when  I  called  on  him  this  day  he  actu- 
ally collected  out  of  me  and  others  of  this  community  the  i 
additional  tax  of  $2.70 ! !  My  object  in  drawing  your  at- 
tention to  this  subject  is,  to  inquire  if  the  $2. GO  for  mile- 
age is  according  'Ho  Law  f  I  paid  64  mileage !  As 
there  are  several  of  us  interested  in  this  matter,  I  beg 
leave  to  put  this  inquiry  to  you. 


-■& 


revenue  matters. 


From  Joshua  Boner. 

Salem,  Nov.  9th  1867. 
coiicerning^^  It  uow  turus  up,  that  the  Revenue  Collector,  on  yester- 

day made  one  person  pay  10  cts.  for  Notice  given,  and 
another  he  charged  40  cts.  for  Notice  given;  and,  on  in- 
quiry being  made  why  the  difference,  he  said  that  the  one 
notice  was  sent  by  mail,  and  the  other  was  sent  by  his 
agent !  Why  is  it,  that  not  all  persons  were  not  notified 
through  the  mail.  His  sight  must  be  very  defective,  as 
he  mistook  15  cts.  for  so  many  dollars  and  actually 
charged  it  as  such ;  but,  when  notified  of  this  fact,  he  cor- 
rected the  mistake.  And  why  is  it,  that  our  citizens,  whc 
are  industriously  working  and  staying  at  home,  and  ar^ 
'desirous  of  doing  right,  whenever  they  ask  for  informatioij 
from  "Government  Officials,"  are  always  receiving  the  ai 


COEKESPONDENCE    OF    JONATHAN    WoETII.  I(l7' 

swer  ''that  tliej  don't  know"  ! !  and  are  at  last  saddled  with 
unnecessary  costs,  and  then  differences  made,  as  stated 
above. 

Do  not  these  officers  get  a  regular  salary ;  or  do  they  de- 
pend upon  these  extra  costs  for  their  salaries  ?  If  money 
were  flush  these  things  might  he  permitted  to  pass  un- 
noticed ;  hut  in  our  times,  when  our  people  are  hard  run 
for  funds,  such  gross  irregularities,  are  out  of  tone  and 
out  of  time. 

Again:  One  party  on  yesterday  was  charged  $2.76 
and  another  20  cents ;  and  these  two  cases  were  perfectly 
identical,  and  were  in  one  man's  hand,  though  the  fact 
was  not  kno^^^l  to  the  officer.  'Row  my  dear  Governor, 
the  case  just  cited  was  Di\  T.  F.  Kcelit,  who  took  into  his 
hands  his  ''brother-in-law's  case,"  simply  because  he  found 
his  brother-in-law  was  only  charged  with  20  cents!  I 
appeal  to  you,  respected  sir,  to  have  this  gross  injustice 
done  our  citizens  lool'ed  into  and  righted,  if  it  be  possi- 
ble! 

I  will  not  say  who  ought  to  be  held  responsible  for  this 
outrage;  but  I  feel  convinced  that  this  matter  is  instigated 
l)y  an  enemy  to  you,  and  one  who  is  known  here,  "as  a 
radical!'' 

If  you  can  do  anything  for  us,  dear  Governor,  it  would 
"be  received  with  thousand  thanks  by  all  who  are  opposed  to 
fhe  theory  of  negro-equality ! 


To  J.  M.  ^Yo^t]l. 

Nov.  21,  1SG7. 
The  sale  of  the  Swamp  lands  to  a  ISTorthern  Co.  is  con-  sau- or  the  swamp 
-ditional.     They  halve  60  days  to  affirm  or  reject  the  terms. 
I  regard  it  as  very  inicertain  wTiether  it  will  be  confirmed 
'Or  not. 


lands. 


1078  XoKTii  Carolina  Historical  Commission. 

The  more  I  learn  about  the  W.  O.  Swamp  the  more  am 
I  convinced  that  the  purchase,  on  the  terms  we  offer, 
would  be  a  magnificeut  enterprise,  if  our  political  troubles 
were  settled- — but  while  they  remain  unsettled  I  have 
felt  unwilling  that  you  embark  in  the  enterprise.  If  suc- 
cessful you  would  ha\x'  to  devote  your  time  and  embark 
much  of  your  fortune  on  the  enterprise.  If  vtiiversnl 
negro  suffrage  is  to  be  the  basis  of  our  future  government, 
then  universal  blight  must  ensue.  They  have  strength 
enough  (sufficient  numbers)  even  in  Xorth  Carolina,  with 
the  base  allies  their  numbers  will  bring,  to  be  the  ruling- 
power.  In  the  present  uncertainty  I  Avould  regi'ct  to  see 
you  invest  largely  in  an  enterprise  which  must  rest  for 
success  on  stable  and  safe  government.  We  are  still  in 
the  midst  of  Kevolution — dependent  entirely  on  the  w^ill 
of  the  dominant  ISTorth  and  not  a  little  in  danger  of  a 
war  of  races. 

AsiIEBORO. 


To  Joshua  Boner. 

Xov.  21st,  1861 
Revenue  fees.  A  temporary  absence  from  home  is  my  excuse  for  no 

answering  yours  of  the  8th  and  9th  Xov.   at  an  earlier 
da3\ 

They  involve  an  inquiry  into  the  fees  allowed  by  acts 
of  Congress  to  collectors  of  Internal  Revenue  which  would 
require  much  time — and  if  such  inquiry  should  result  in 
showing  that  the  fees  collected  were  not  sustained  by  law, 
I  could  do  nothing,  save  by  remonstrance,  to  relieve  the 
parties  injured. 

I  advise  you  to  present  the  facts  to  Mr.  Starbuck,  Dis- 
trict Atto.  for  the  United  States.  If  the  fees  collected 
exceed  in  amount  what  the  laws  allow,  it  will  be  his  duty 
to  indict  the  parties  exacting  such  fees.  I  cannot  believe 
he  will  countenance  the  exaction  of  illegal  fees  from  our 
citizens. 


4 


Correspondence  of  Jonathan  Worth.  1079 

If  YOU  should  fail  to  get  redress  as  indicated,  1  will 
most  willingly  give  yon  the  benefit  of  any  aid  I  can  give 
von  as  Governor  of  Xorth  C^arolina,  nnder  the  existing 
state  of  affairs. 

Sale:\i. 


To  J.  M.  Parrott. 

Nov.  22,  1867. 

Have  yon  been  able  to  get  corn  for  me  on  the  cars  at  $1. 
per  bushel  ?  If  it  can  be  had  at  this  j^rice  I  would  like  to 
have  a  car  load  or  any  less  quantity.  I  am  now  fairly  out 
of  corn.  Let  we  know^  the  prospect  at  as  early  a  day  as 
you  can  conveniently. 

The  little  we  have  heard  as  to  the  elections  is  very  hlach 
owing'  to  w^hite  voters  refusing  to  vote. 

KiNSTON. 


To  James  11.  Lea. 

Raleigh,  Nov.  23/67. 
Genl.  Canby  now  sends  his  orders  touching  our  Courts  canbysjurj- 
to  the  judges  and  chm.  of  the  County  Courts.  His  final 
orders,  as  I  understand  them,  touching  the  drawing  of 
juries,  require  the  Court  to  make  a  list  of  all  who  paid  a 
tax  for  the  year  ending  Sept.  30/67.  Your  means  of 
ascertaining  wdio  has  paid  such  a  tax  must  be  the  returns 
of  the  Sheriffs,  I  presume : — yon  are  allowed  before  draw- 
ing the  jury  to  purge  this  list,  by  casting  out  of  this  list, 
before  drawing,  all  those  whom  you  deem  unfit  to  serve 
on  account  of  want  of  intelligence,  no  one  being  rejected 
simply  on  account  of  his  color,  o^on-registered  voters  are 
not  to  be  excluded  from  the  draAving — but  may  be  chal- 
lenged and  put  off  the  jury  by  either  party.  The  Chair- 
man of  the  County  Courts  may  call  special   sessions  of 


1080  ISToKTH  Carolina  Historical  Commission. 

their  Court  for  this  purpose,  appoint iut:,'  their  own  days 
for  such  call.  As  the  matter  has  heeu  long'  po-tponed,  I 
presuuie  the  General  will  expect  now  prompt  action  in 
the  premises,  so  that  a  jury,  drawn  in  conformity  with 
these  orders,  may  be  ready  for  next  Court. 
Yanceyville. 


matters. 


From  Calvin  H.  Wiley. 

Private, 

Greensboro,  K  C,  Nov.  25  1867. 

Educational  Yours  of  the  21st  is  to  hand.     The  petition  to  which 

you  refer  was  handed  to  you  Thursday,  the  day  before  we 
adjourned  at  our  last  meeting.  You  were  just  starting 
home,  and  I  handed  it  and  a  letter  to  the  Lit.  Board  to 
3^ou,  simply  remarking,  that  you  could  read  it  at  your 
leisure.  I  suppose  you  and  Maj.  H.  had  concluded  to 
wait  until  you  saw  Mr.  Parrott.  ISTo  doubt  in  the  multi- 
plicity of  your  duties,  you  laid  it  by  and  overlooked  it. 

I  stated  my  reason,  in  the  letter  to  the  Board,  for  asking 
the  decision  now.  The  more  I  hear  and  see  the  better 
satisfied  I  am  that  we  have  made  a  great  contract.  I 
labored  hard  for  it :  no  one  but  myself  knows  how  hard. 
I  used  every  influence,  writing  for  the  papers,  correspond- 
ing, night  and  day,  sending  off  statistics,  etc.,  etc.,  except 
when  gone  ISTorth,  I  was  not  on  salary  and  yet  I  worked 
as  hard  as  if  it  were  my  private  business ;  and  I  feel  that 
I  have  done  something  that  entitles  me  to  offer  my  old 
claim  for  what  it  is  Avorth.  Those  efforts  and  our  success 
do  not  effect  the  legality  of  that  claim ;  but  they  make  me 
feel  more  disposed  to  ask  for  what  may  be  due.  I  am 
sensitive,  and  I  felt  for  the  school  fund  and  was  not  dis- 
posed to  offer  my  claim  when  I  saw  the  fund  depleting 
tho'  that  did  not  aff'c  ct  its  justice. 

The  mission  to  Xew  York  gave  me  much  trouble.  A 
number  of  persons  whom  I  consulted  will  tell  you  I  did 
not  want  to  go,  first  because  I  was  going  into  a  billions  at- 


CORKESPONDENCE    OF    JoNATIIAN    WoKTH.  1081 

tack,  and  secondly  because  I  feared  I  would  be  hampered, 
and  we  would  spend  money  and  accomplish  little.  I  went, 
as  these  persons  will  tell  you,  solely  on  account  of  your 
confidence  in  me.  We  cost  the  Fund  heavily,  I  lost  my 
health,  was  very  sick,  and  sick  sometime  after  my  return. 
But  I  determined  to  work  on  on  "my  own  hook,"  in 
my  own  way — and  the  result  is  before  us.  I  then  felt 
free  to  present  my  old  claim  for  what  it  is  worth.  There 
is  a  maxim  that  he  who  gives  quickly  gives  twice,  and  if 
anything  is  due  the  sooner  it  comes  the  greater  its  bene- 
faction— I  believe  we  have  both  been  as  anxious  to  accu- 
mulate the  School  Fund  as  if  it  were  our  personal  prop- 
erty. I  believe  if  I  know  myself  I  would  choose  per- 
sonal wants  before  public  privation,  and  yet  there  is  scrip- 
tural warrant  for  saying  the  laborer  is  worthy  of  his  hire. 
If  it  were  any  body  else's  claim  I  would  believe  the  Fund 
would  be  more  prosperous  to  pay  it,  for  in  public  as  in 
private  matters,  money  is  not  made,  in  the  long  run,  by 
denying  past  obligations ;  but  I  cannot  trust  myself  to  give 
an  opinion  about  my  own.  It  looks  now  as  if  w^e  were 
laying  up  for  squanderers  and  spoilers ;  still  this  is  no 
reason  why  we  should  not  do  our  duty. 


From  B.  S.  Hedrick. 

Nov.  26,  67. 
Mr.  McPherson  says  that  he  wrote  you  in  a  letter  some 
time  ago  for  additional  evidence  in  Moss's  case  for  back 
pay,  bounty,  etc.  of  his  son.  If  that  evidence  can  be  fur- 
nished Mr.  McPherson  thinks  the  application  will  be  al- 
lowed. 


1082  NoKTH  Carolina  Historical  Commission. 

To  11.  C.  Holmes. 

Nov.  27th,  1867. 

KeToustniction  ^  ajjpnivo  voiu'  action  ill  calling'  special  term  of  your 

Co.  Court  oil  the  .'5rd.  Sat.  in  January  next, — to  reform 
your  jury  lists  conformably  to  orders  of  Genl.  Canby. 

I  have  earnestly  remonstrated  against  this  innovation 
upon  our  time  lioiiorcMl  ])laii  of  making  juries  from  the 
class,  who,  by  the  acquisition  of  property,  proved  that 
they  had  intelligence  and  interest  in  the  well-being  of  so- 
ciety. My  remonstrances  have  been  effectual  only  to  this 
extent: — You  are  not  required  to  exclude  from  the  list 
from  which  the  jury  is  to  be  drawn  ilie  unregistered  voter. 
— and  from  the  list  of  tax-payers  you  are  authorised  to 
purge,  before  drawing  those  clearly  unfit  to  serve  on  ac- 
count of  want  of  intelligence.  You  are  not  to  assume  that 
all  negroes  are  unlit  but  you  may  exclude  those  who  are 
deficient  in  ordinary  intelligence  or  degraded  by  moral 
obliquity. 

I  participate  with  you  in  abhorrence  in  a  line  of  policy 
which  projDoses  to  base  government  on  ignorance,  instead 
of  intelligence,  and  which  substitutes  ability  to  pay  a  tax 
as  a  better  teste  of  fitness  to  serve  on  a  jury  than  the  pos- 
session of  a  freehold — but  as  a  conquered  people  there  is 
no  degradation  in  submitting  to  the  power  of  the  bayonet 
and  obeying  edicts  Ave  have  no  power  to  resist. 

I  am  now,  as  always,  anxious  to  see  fraternal  Union  re- 
stored on  the  basis  of  the  Constitution  of  the  United  States 
— as  interpreted  by  the  Judiciary. 

Clinton. 


To  General  Canhij. 

Nov.  27,  1867. 

]\rr.  Nicholas  Williams,  the  writer  of  the  within  letter, 
sets  forth  truly  the  facts  on  which  he  bases  his  petition. 
He  is  an  old,  law-abiding  and  highly  respected  citizen  of 


1 


CORBESPONDENCE    OF    JONATHAN    WoKTH.  1083 

the  State.  His  residence  is  in  Yadkin  County,  so  rcnnute 
from  transportation  by  water  or  Eail  that  the  snrplus 
grain  made  by  him  and  his  neighbors,  cannot  be  made 
available  to  relieve  the  eastern  part  of  the  State  where  the 
grain  crop  this  year  is  most  deficient. 

If  yon  propose  to  allow  any  whiskey  to  be  made  in  the 
State,  I  think  the  privilege  should  be  granted  to  Mr. 
^Yilliams. 

Cjiakleston^  S.  C. 


To  Ralph  P.  Bu.rton. 

Tor.  27,  1867. 

I  had  contemplated  assigning  yon  to  hold  the  sjiecial 
terms  ordered  for  Cumberland  and  Sampson — and  Judge 
Barnes  to  hold  the  special  terms  ordered  for  Halifax  and 
Wake.  The  Court  at  Halifax  is  ordered  for  1  Monday 
of  January  next.  I  am  informed  that  Judge  Barnes  was 
counsel  in  many  of  the  important  suits  in  Halifax,  and 
such  is  probably  the  case  as  to  yourself  in  Cumberland. 
I  now  propose  to  assign  Halifax  to  you  and  Cumberland 
to  Judge  Barnes.  How  will  this  suit  you  ?  I  have  im- 
posed on  judges  Warren  and  Gilliam  so  many  extra  terms 
that  each  of  them  vehemently  remonstrates  against  being 
appointed  for  another.  Judge  Fowle  informs  me  he  pro- 
poses to  resign  very  soon,  and  therefore  asks  to  be  ex- 
cused. Judge  Little's  health  forbids  his  appointment  to 
hold  any  special  Term.  Judges  Shipp  and  Mitchell  have 
been  assigiied  to  hold  the  special  terms  of  Union  and 
Mecklenburg,  and  if  any  other  special  terms  in  the  West 
have  been  ordered,  I  shall  nominate  them  to  hold  them. 

Fayetteville. 


1084  JNoKTii  Carolina  IIistokical  Commission. 

To   Thos.  J.   Wihon,  J.  M.  Lcdcli.  J.    11'.  Alspaugh,  J. 
Hasten,  Jno.  H.  Welhorn. 

Dec.  J^,  1807. 

Yours  of  2nd  inst.  rccd.  I  most  cordially  thank  you  for 
your  suggestion.  If  I  can  be  assured  that  Mr.  Poindexter 
will  agree  to  accept,  I  shall  most  gladly  nominate  him  as 
a  judge  to  fill  vacancy  on  the  bench  or  otherwise  every  in- 
fluence I  can  in  favor  of  his  appointment.  Let  me  know, 
at  as  early  a  day  as  possible,  after  actual  assurance  from 
him,  whether  he  will  accept  or  not. 

Winston. 


To  B.  P.  Dick. 

Raleigh,  Dec.  13/67. 

I  left  here  last  Saturday  morning  before  the  delivery  of 
the  mail  and  returned  last  night  and  find  yours  of  the  7th 
inst. 

I  leani  that  in  the  mean  time  the  General  commanding 
has  discontinued  the  Post  at  Greensboro  and  I  suppose 
any  interference  now  (especially  on  my  part)  would  do 
no  good.  He  did  not  communicate  with  me  touching  the 
proposed  change.  If  however  you  think  I  can  serve  you 
or  Major  Worth  I  will  gladly  do  go. 
Military  arrests.  I  lately  complaiucd  to  the  Prest.  of  the  arrest  of  the 

Shff  of  Caswell  and  other  military  arrests,  there  being  no 
preliminary  trial  in  which  the  accused  was  allowed  to 
confront  his  accusers  and  submit  counter  testimony.  I 
called  these  arrests  and  trials  before  Court  martial,  when 
nobody  pretends  that  fair  trial  may  not  be  had  in  any  of 
our  Supr  Courts  of  law,  "iniquitous  and  oppressive."  I 
averred  that  the  arrest  of  Griffin  was  made,  as  I  was  in- 
formed, at  the  instance  of  ''one  Tourgee  and  Johnson,  both 
men  of  most  detestable  character."  My  interference  and 
account  of  the  character  of  these  two  "patriots,"  as  the 


Correspondence  of  Jonathan  Worth.  1085 

General  reg'ards  them,  has  involved  me  in  unpleasant  cor- 
respondence— and  I  am  persuaded  a  letter  from  Tourgee 
to  the  General  will  receive  much  more  favoral)le  considera- 
tion than  one  from  me.  Canby  is  more  tyrannical  and 
has  less  intelligence  and  consideration  for  our  people,  than 
his  predecessor. 
Greensboro. 


To  C.  P.  Mendenhall,  E.  P.  Did.  J.  A.  Gilmer,  Thomas 
Settle,  n.  C.  Worth. 

Kaleigh,  Dec.  lJf-/67. 
I  have  felt  it  my  duty  more  than  once  to  protest  against  Miii tan- arrests, 
the  seizure  of  our  citizens — their  imprisomnent  in  places 
distant  from  their  homes  without  any  preliminary  inves- 
tigation in  which  the  accused  Avas  informed  of  the  accusa- 
tions and  permitted  to  confront  his  accusers  and  offer  ex- 
culpatory evidence — And  I  have  also  conscientiously  in- 
sisted that  the  civil  authorities  of  the  State  were  now  as 
competent  and  ready  as  they  ever  were  to  arrest  and  pun- 
ish malefactors  without  the  aid  of  military  posts  and  trials 
before  Court  martials.  I  lately  protested  both  to  the 
Prest.  and  Genl.  Canby  at  the  recent  instance  of  the  trans- 
portation of  the  Shff.  of  Caswell  to  Charleston  for  trial 
before  a  Court  Martial  upon  the  complaint  of  Tourgee  and 
Johnson,  whom  I  characterise  as  men  of  "most  detestable 
character.  In  my  letter  to  the  Prest.  I  characterised 
these  proceedings  as  "iniquitous  oppression.  Genl.  C. 
says  he  does  not  accept  my  account  of  the  characters  of 
Tourgee  and  Johnson.  He  labors  to  show  that  they  are 
both  patriots — and  expresses  his  conviction  that  Johnson 
was  convicted  not  for  the  reason  that  he  had  been  guilty 
of  the  charge,  but  because  he  had  been  a  Union  soldier. 
He  avers  that  these  military  arrests  and  trials  are  neces- 
sary on  account  of  the  leaning  of  our  Courts  in  favor  of 
rebels  and  against  Union  men. 


1086  North  Carolina  Historical  Commission. 

Your  petition  is  based  on  the  idea  that  the  continuance  of 
a  standing'  army  as  strong  as  is  necessary  for  the  preserva- 
tion of  good  order.  I  am  far  from  concurring  with  you: 
and  can  give  your  petition  no  endorsement  implying  my 
concurrence;  bedsides  I  have  good  reason  to  believe  that  the 
endorsement  of  Tourgee  and  Johnson  would  receive  from 
Genl,  Canby  more  consideration  than  mine. 

With  anxious  desire  to  do  any  thing  to  oblige  each  of 
you,  I  am  neverthe  less  constrained  for  the  reasons  cited 
to  decline  to  do  more  than  to  vouch  for  your  being  men 
alike  distinguished  for  intelligence  and  patriotism  and 
your  views  entitled  to  very  great  consideration. 


To  Jolui  McKay. 

Raleigh,  Dec.  lJ^/07. 

I  learn  from  Roxana  who  is  with  us,  that  you  recently 
told  her  you  might  possibh'  find  time  to  rent  out  for  her  . 
her  lands  and  mills,  and  to  otherwise  advise  as  to  the  man- 
agement of  her  concerns.  She  and  I  will  be  inexpressedly 
obliged  to  you  if  you  will  do  so.  As  it  would  probably  I'c- 
quire  several  days  of  your  time,  I  would  most  willingly 
compensate  you,  either  by  doing  for  you  some  thing  in  my 
power  and  having  my  son  to  transact  for  you  in  Wilming- 
ton without  commission,  any  business  you  may  have  there 
- — or  paying  you  a  liberal  compensation  in  cash. 

On  a  matter  of  this  sort  I  have  much  more  confidence 
in  your  judgment  than  I  have  in  my  own  or  my  son's,  and 
both  of  us  are  so  confined  to  our  business  that  we  can't 
spare  time  to  give  her  business  proper  attention. 

If  you  can  l)e  induced  to  give  her  your  aid  it  will  be 
necessary  that  you  visit  all  three  of  her  farms,  in  order 
to  see  there  actual  condition — and  I  have  no  suggestion  to 
make,  save  only  that  you  exercise  the  fullest  discretion. 

From  the  impussibility  of  her  watching  over  her  hogs 


Correspondence  of  Jonathan  Worth.  108' 

I  think  it  will  be  better  that  she  keep  not  more  than  one 
breeding-  sow — considering  the  number  constantly  stolen 
from  her  I  am  satisfied  she  had  better  buy  her  pork. 

I  am  confident  too  that  she  had  better  rent  out  her  mills 
and  cotton  gin,  to  some  suitable  man,  she  supplying  the 
logs  and  the  ])arty  renting  receiving  his  compensation  for 
i  his  services  in  an  equitable  part  of  the  products. 

There  is  a  very  fertile  swamp  on  the  McLaurin  ])Iace 
and  another  on  the   SAvamps  place — both  under  fence —  • 
;   which  could  be  easily  drained.      It  would  be  well  to  get 
;   the  tenants  to  bring  these  into  cultivation,  giving  him  all 
I   they  should  produce  for  two  or  three  years — but  if  you 
will  contract  the  parties  and  advise  her,  I  have  more  con- 
fidence in  your  judgment  than  in  my  own,  and  whatever 
you   do   will   l)e   approved.     Will   you   undertake    it  ?     If 
you  will  please  give  your  attention  to  it,  at  your  earliest 
convenience. 


To  J.  A.  Gilmer. 

Raleigh,  Dec.  lofli,  1S67. 

In  the  letter  of  the  12th  inst.  addressed  to  me  by  your-  Need  of  military 
self  and  others  you '  ask  me  to  use  your  influence  with 
Genl.  Canby  to  retain  the  troops  at  Greensboro,  then  sta- 
tioned there.  You  say  "the  conduct  of  the  officers  and 
men  has  been  exemplary  and  we  believe  every  good  citi- 
zen feels  in  their  presence  a  greater  security  both  in  ]ier- 
son  and  property.  They  are  a  powerful  police  force  and 
a  terror  only  to  evil  doers." 

If  this  be  so,  then  the  blessing  of  military  government. 
in  preference  to  civil  government,  should  be  greatly  ex- 
tended ;  and  the  preamble  to  the  reconstruction  act  truly 
recites  that  such  a  state  of  lawlessness  exists  in  T^orth 
Carolina,  that  military  government  was  required  for  the 
preservation  of  order.  I  am  very  far  from  concurring  in 
this  doctrine.      I  would  ciadlv  see  everv  soldier  removed 


1088  NoKTii  Carolina  Historical  CoMMissioix. 

from  the  State,  and  the  array  reduced  every  where,  and 
therefore  cannot  endorse  your  petition. 
Greensboro. 


To  D.  G.  McRae. 

Raleigh,  Dec.  16/67. 

Please  inform  me  by  return  nuiil  as  accurately  as  you 
can  at  what  date  you  were  arrested — how  long  confined  at 
Ft.  Macon — on  what  day  the  Court  convened  in  Raleigh   , 
for  your  trial,  and  on  what  day  you  were  discharged.  I 

I  am  required  by  the  Prest.  to  give  him  a  written  his- 
tory of  this  trial,  which  I  presume  he  intends  to  publish 
and  I  wish  to  be  very  accurate. 

Do  you  Jviiow  at  what  date  the  evidence  was  closed  on 
the  whole  case  ? 

If  I  refer  to  Avery's  falling  out  with  you  and  his 
threats,  can  you  establish  the  facts  if  he  deny  your  state- 
ment. Will  you  give  me  a  brief  statement  as  to  his  dis- 
pleasure against  you  and  his  threats  ?  '  I  wish  an  answer 
soon. 


To  the  Chairman  of  ihe  County  Court  of  Jones. 

Raleigh,  Dec.  16/67. 
Has  any  thing  further  been  done  since  you  wrote  me 
touching  the  ncAvly  appointed  Shff's.  giving  a  bond  ?  If 
so,  what  has  been  done  ?  Are  the  tax  lists  in  the  hands 
of  the  newly  appointed  ?  Please  write  me  at  your  earliest 
convenience  what  has  been  done  in  the  matter  since  you 
last  wrote  me. 
Trenton. 


CORKESPONDENCE    OF    JoNATHAN    WoKTll.  1089 

To  Mr.  Philpot 

Ealeigh,  Dec.  IStli,  1807. 
I  find  that  in  the  military  Court  Henderson  Cooper  was  Case  of  Henderson 

,  ,         .     ,  1  Cooper. 

arraigned  and  tried  on  two  charges — 

1.  ''Assault  and  battery  with  intent  to  commit  a  rape." 

2.  "Aiding  and  abetting  the  commission  of  a  rape." 
Was  he  indicted  in  this  form  in  your  Court  ?     Please 

see  the  indictment  and  let  me  know. 

I  had  got  the  impression  that  the  proof  made  by  Mrs. 
Daniels  was  that  each  of  the  negroes  in  the  presence  of 
her  daughter  had  committed  rape  on  her  ?  Am  I  mis- 
taken as  to  her  testimony  ?     Please  answer  promptly. 

Oxford. 


To  Thomas  ^VUcox. 

RxVLeigh,  Dec.  18/67. 

Will  you  oblige  me  by  writing  me  without  delay,  giving 
me  any  information  you  have  as  to  the  causes  for  your  re- 
moval— and  of  the  removal  of  17  Justices  of  your  County. 
When  did  O.  R.  Colgrave  settle  in  Jones  ?  Where  did  he 
come  from  ?  Is  D.  D.  Colgrave  his  brother  ?  When  did 
he  settle  in  Jones  ?  Does  either  of  them  own  real  or 
other  estate  in  Jones  which  is  unincumbered  ?  Has  O. 
R.  Colgrave  given  bond,  approved  by  the  County  Court. 
If  so,  who  are  the  sureties  and  what  do  you  know  as  to 
the  sufficiency  of  the  bond  ?  Were  you  required  to  sur- 
render your  tax  lists  to  O.  R.  ColgTave  ?  Have  you  sur- 
rendered them  to  him  ? — and  any  thing  else  tending  to  ex- 
plain this  wholesale  removal  and  the  appointment  of  so 
many  new  Justices.  I  may  want  to  publich  your  state- 
ment or  the  substance  of  it. 

An  early  answer  will  much  oblige. 

Tkextox. 


Vol.  2—28 


1090  XoRTii  Carolina  Historical  Commission. 

To  Thomas  If.  GiUidm. 

Raleigh^  Dec.   19/67. 

Military  arrests.  Gt'ul.  Caubv  ill  a  letter  to  Gciil.  Grant,  hy  way  of  viii- 

dieatiiig-  liiiiiself  for  the  arrest  and  detention  of  six  of 
joiir  citizens,  charged  as  having  rescued  Pratt,  and  of 
assailing  me  for  complaining  of  the  arrest,  asserts  that 
"the  arrests  were  made  upon  the  application  of  the  Shff 
of  Chowan  County,  based  on  the  affidavits  of  the  jailor 
and  his  wife  as  to  the  forcible  rescue.  The  prisoners  were 
sent  to  Ft.  Macon  for  safe  keeping  until  the  civil  authori- 
ties were  prepared  to  try  them  and  the  commanding  officer 
of  that  Post  was  directed  to  admit  them  to  bail,  if  suitable 
bail  was  offered.  I  have  more  than  once  in  years  past 
and  before  there  was  any  serious  question  of  rebellion 
committed  the  same  act  of  mUitarij  despotism.  As  the 
commander  of  a  military  post  and  at  the  request  of  the 
civil  authorities  I  have  deemed  the  arrest  of  criminals  and 
as  an  act  of  comity  and  of  public  duty,  held  them  in  my 
gTiard  house  until  the  proper  civil  authorities  were  pre- 
pared to  take  charge  of  them." 

This  statement  is  so  variant  from  all  the  versions  of  the 
affair  which  have  been  made  to  me,  and  so  completely 
emancipates  the  military,  that  it  is  made  the  occasion  of 
taunting  me  for  applying  to  it  the  terms  "military  despot- 
ism" in  a  communication  I  made  to  the  Prest.  I  am 
placed  on  the  defensive  and  am  preparing  for  the  Prest. 
which  I  have  reason  to  believe  Avill  be  published,  a  com- 
munication that  will  justify  my  language. 

I  have  the  certificate  of  the  Shff.  of  Chowan  positively 
denying  that  he  asked  for  the  arrest  of  any  of  these  men — 
and  the  affidavit  of  the  jailor  proving  the  rescue,  but  not 
pretending  to  identify  the  persons  who  committed  it. 
What  I  now  want  is  a  certiticate  fi'om  one  or  more  of  the 
parties  arrested  on  the  following  points. 

Were  the  prisoners  apprised  upon  whose  evidence  the}' 
were  arrestc  d  and  detained  ? 


Correspondence  of  Jonathan  Worth.  1091 

Was  any  effort  made  to  procure  their  release  on  bail  ? 
If  so,  why  did  the  effort  fail  ? 

TIow  long  were  thev  detained  ?  Were  they  put  to  work, 
as  has  been  rej^orted  ? 

Especially  were  they  discharged  on  bail  or  their  own 
recogTiizance  to  appear  before  any  tribunal — if  so,  what 
tribunal  and  at  what  time  ?  And  any  other  facts  tending 
to  show  that  this  was  an  act  of  "military  despotism"  and 
not  an  act  of  comity  to  the  civil  authorities. 

My  efforts  to  preserve  some  semblance  of  civil  liberty 
have  riled  Genl  Canby  and  I  trust  you  will  willingly  put 
yourself  to  some  trouble  to  aid  me  in  my  defence  and  in 
carrying  the  war  into  Africa. 

I  shall  address  the  communication  I  am  making  touch- 
ing this  and  other  aggressions,  to  the  Prest.  at  his  request, 
who  will  probably  cause  its  publication,  that  the  N^orth, 
now  awakening  to  a  sense  of  Justice,  may  see  that  their 
re-construction  schemes  are  working. 

[P.  S.]  Let  me  have  answer  at  the  earliest  practicable 
period. 

Hertford. 


William  H.  Baglcy  to  General  E.  7?.  S.  Canhij. 

December  25th,  1867. 

Your  letter  of  the  20th  inst.  to  the  Governor,  requesting  Election  returns, 
to  be  furnished  "with  a  statement  of  the  aggregate  vote 
cast  at  the  election  held  in  the  early  part  of  the  Summer 
of  1865,  for  the  election  of  delegates  to  Convention  to 
frame  a  constitution  for  IS^orth  Carolina,"  has  been  re- 
ceived. 

Under  the  Prov.  Governor's  Proclamation  the  returns 
of  the  vote  for  delegates  were  ordered  to  be  sent  to  the 
Secretary  of  State,  and  also  to  the  President  of  the  Con- 


1092  Xoirni  Cauolt^-a  Historical  Commission. 

vention.  I  have  searched  the  Journals  of  the  Convention 
and  can  find  no  record  of  the  vote  whatever.  I  find 
in  the  Secretary  of  State's  office  returns  of  the  vote  for 
seventy-one  (71)  Counties,  leaving  eighteen  (18)  not  re- 
ported. At  that  time  business  in  the  Secretary's  office 
was  conducted  in  a  very  loose  and  irregular  manner, 
which,  I  think,  accounts  for  the  unreported  counties.  If 
these  incomplete  returns  will  be  of  service  to  you,  they 
will  be  copied  and  forwarded  to  your  address. 

After  the  Convention  had  met  and  acted,  the  Ordi- 
nances, abolishing  slavery,  and  declaring  the  Secession 
Ordinance  (of  1861)  null  and  void,  were  submitted  to 
the  people,  and  the  aggregate  vote  of  the  several  counties 
upon  _  these  questions,  can  be  obtained.  This  vote,  how- 
ever, is  exceedingly  small  and  would  serve  as  an  indica- 
tion of  nothing  but  the  disposition  of  the  people  to  leave 
politics  alone,  and  attend  to  their  deranged  personal  affairs. 
If  you  should  desire  this  vote,  the  Goveimor  will  cause  a 
copy  to  be  furnished  you,  or  if  the  incomplete  returns  of 
the  special  vote  referred  to  in- your  letter  will  serve  you, 
a  copy  will  be  forwarded  on  notice. 

Indisposition  has  prevented  the  Governor  from  answer- 
ing your  letter  himself. 

Chaelestox,  S.  C. 


To   General  Eohert  0.  Tyler. 

Raleigh,  Dec.  26,  1867. 

Presuming  on  the  kindness  and  courtesy  which  you  ex- 
hibited towards  me  when  in  Charleston  I  venture  to  ask  a 
favor  of  you. 

By  the  laws  of  this  State  the  Governor  is  entitled  to  a 
fixed  salary  and  a  furnished  mansion,  no  perquisites  or 
contingent  fund.  When  I  was  installed  as  Governor  nearly 
all  the  furniture  had  disappeared,  and  the  mansion  pro- 
vided for  the  Governor  was  occupied  by  the  military.     The 


Correspondence  of  Jonathan  Worth,  1093 

Genl.  Assembly  nominally  raised  the  salary,  but  in 
view  of  the  depreciation  of  the  currency  it  was  not  made 
equivalent  to  the  salary  allowed  the  Govr.  before  the  war ; 
no  appropriation  was  made  to  supply  furniture  till  the 
last  session.  The  repairs  on  the  lot  and  buildings  have 
been  so  considerable  that  I  have  not  yet  got  it  in  habitable 
condition.  At  the  last  session  of  the  Genl.  Assembly  a 
resolution  was  passed  authorizing  me  to  ask  the  U.  S.  to 
allow  rent  for  the  occupation  of  the  Governor's  mansion, 
and  authorizing  me  to  appropriate  to  my  own  use  the 
amount  allowed — in  consideration  of  my  supplying  a  man- 
sion for  myself.  Capt.  Atkins,  I  believe,  to  whom  it  has 
been  referred  to  report  what  would  be  a  reasonable  rent, 
has  fixed  on  $125.  per  month,  with  the  approval  of  Col. 
Bumford,  which,  I  understand  goes  to  you  for  approval. 
This  rate,  from  what  I  hear,  is  moderate  in  reference  to 
the  rates  paid  by  the  government  for  other  houses  here ; 
there  being  many  more  rooms  than  in  any  other  house 
occupied  by  the  military.  I  trust  you  will  approve  his 
report.  What  I  desire  of  you  is  that  you  take  action  on  it 
as  soon  as  may  be  consistent  with  your  convenience.  If 
approved  by  you,  does  it  go  to  Washington  for  further 
action?  Who  will  issue  the  warrant  to  me  to  draw  the 
money  ?  W^ill  it  be  necessary  or  expedient  for  me  person- 
ally or  my  agent  to  do  any  thing  further  about  the  matter  ? 
I  am  in  a  condition  that  this  small  sum  would  be  of  much 
benefit  to  me. 

In  view  of  a  very  deficient  crop  and  the  low  price  of 
cotton  and  naval  stores,  and  the  political  condition  of  the 
country  our  people  are  gloomy.  The  Christmas  has  not 
been  a  merry  one  with  us, 

Charleston^  S.  C. 


1094  XoKTii  Caroi.ixa  Historical  Commission. 

To  B.  G.   Worth. 

Hat.eigh,  Dec.  20/67. 
Business  matters.  J  have  been  mueli  gratiHt'd  at  the  cheerful  tone  of  yr. 
two  last  letters  as  compared  with  the  preceding  one.  It 
is  i^robablv  presumptuous  in  me  to  offer  you  my  advice  in 
connnercial  matters,  but  my  conviction  is  so  strong  that  a 
monetary  crash  throughout  the  nation  is  not  far  distant, 
of  an  appalling  character,  when  the  little  honor  now  exist- 
ing will  nearly  disai:»pear,  that  I  think  few  mercantile 
houses,  having  a  large  amount  of  liabilities  to  meet  out  of 
debts  due  them,  can  survive.  "With  these  views  I  shall 
feel  solicitude  for  you  while  you  are  much  in  debt,  however 
flattering  your  balance  sheet  may  appear.  I  presume  the 
mass  of  yr.  debtors  are  in  IST.  C.  and  other  Southern  States. 
Prosperity  cannot  revive  soon  in  the  South.  The  negroes 
work  better  now  than  they  will  in  future.  The  race  never 
did  work  voluntarily — and  never  will.  With  free  negro 
labor  we  shall  never  j^rosper.  Our  country  (the  South) 
is  much  poorer  than  it  was  when  the  war  closed,  and  will 
continue  to  grow  poorer  until  the  relative  number  of  ne- 
groes shall  be  diminished,  and  the  ISTorth  shall  allow"  us 
to  manage  our  local  affairs  without  interference.  I  have 
not  got  the  jaundice.  These  are  the  convictions  of  my 
sober  judgt.  If  the  miserable  set  of  jackasses,  from  Gen- 
erals down  to  the  Freedmen's  Bureau  men,  were  with- 
drawn and  we  were  allowed  to  re-organize  the  militia  and 
pass  and  enforce  a  stringent  vagrant  act — even  if  we 
were  compelled  to  give  transportation  to  every  negro  de- 
siring to  move  to  any  of  the  negro  loving  States,  to  which 
they  might  be  desired  to  remove,  we  would  rapidly  recu- 
perate,— the  conditions  of  the  negro  would  be  improved 
and  the  ISTorth  would  be  benefitted  by  the  revival  amongst 
us :  but  we  have  no  rational  gTound  of  hope  while  Radical- 
ism rules. 

I  have  been  to  my  office  but  once  since  my  return  from 
Washington.     Under  the  injunction  of  my  doctor  I  havp-j 


Correspondence  of  Jonathan  Worth.  1095 

staid  by  my  fireside — took  physick  every  day — have  been 
able  to  do  and  have  done  nnich  business  every  day  and 
feel  that  I  am  gradually  improving. 

P.  S.  In  giving  us  Canby  for  Sickles  the  Prest. 
swapjjed  a  devil  for  a  witch.  My  revelations  to  the  Prest. 
astounded  him.  He  required  me  to  write  out  my  narra- 
tive and  communicate  it  to  him.  I  have  nearly  completed 
it.  His  purpose  was  to  publish  it.  If  he  does  so,  I  think 
it  will  produce  a  sensation.  I  state  nothing  which  I  can- 
not sustain  by  documentary  ])rooi.  I  think  it  will  result 
in  the  removal  of  myself  or  Canby.  Let  it  come.  I  will 
not  be  a  subservient  serf  for  the  sake  of  office : — have  not 
time  to  give  you  particulars. 


To  William  Clarl'. 

Raleigh,  Dec.  28/67. 
I  would  gladly  try  to  remove  some  of  your  mistaken  Discussion  of  the 
notions  m  relation  to  the  existing  state  of  affairs  if  I  had 
time.  It  is  annoying  to  me  that  the  Quakers  generally — 
and  especially  you  whom  I  know  to  be  a  sensible  good 
man  and  acquainted  with  the  ni^gfo,  should  believe  under 
the  circumstances  that  the  African  race  is  capable  of  at- 
taining to  a  respectable  degree  of  civilization.  I  do  not 
think  that  you  are  sincere — but  are  you  really  sure  that 
you  are  sincere.  If  you  really  think  they  could  be  made 
good  citizens,  why  do  you  not  invite  them  to  immigrate 
from  the  South  and  dwell  among  you  ?  as  you  do  invite  the  ^- 

German,  the  Irishman — any  of  the  white  races  ?  I  am  no 
lover  of  slavery.  I  feel  toward  the  negro  not  only  no 
hatred  but  nothing  but  kindness  and  pity ;  but  I  know  from 
observation  of  history  that  the  African  left  to  its  <y\y\\  self- 
control,  is  so  indolent  and  improvident,  that  he  will  not — 
indeed  I  think  he  cannot  be  made  a  good  citizen.  I  speak  of 
the  race,  not  of  individual  cases  trained  bv  contact  with  the 


1096  jSToktii  Carolina  Historical  Commission. 

whites.  I  cannot  give  the  Northern  Radicals  credit  (I 
mean  the  be^st  of  them — the  worst  of  them  I  regard  as  the 
meanest  tyrants  on  earth)  for  sincerity  when  they  insist 
that  the  negroes  can  be  made  good  citizens.  xVctions 
speak  louder  than  _words.  They  are  rapidly  sinking  into 
their  natural  position  and  by  an  irresistible  law  of  na- 
ture, will  soon  2)erish  out  in  contact  with  a  superior  ra^e — 
and  in  the  mean  time  will  be  the  curse  of  our  country. 
They  retarded  our  prosperity  as  slaves.  As  free  negroes 
they  will  be  the  curse  of  our  Country — particularly  of  the 
South. 

How  is  Barney  Coffin  coming  on  ?  Has  he  protected 
his  services  ?  What  is  he  doing  ?  I  send  a  Xo.  of  the 
National  Intelligencer — always  conservative  and  always 
edited  by  able  statesmen.  I  beg  you  to  read  it.  It  pre- 
sents a  truthful  picture  of  our  condition  and  of  the  work- 
ings of  Devilish  Radicalism. 


To  J.  Turner,  Jr. 

Raleigh,  Dec.  30/67. 

I  have  a  letter  from  G.  F.  Lewis,  to  whom  the  Trustees 
of  the  University  contracted  to  sell  our  AgTicultural  land 
scrip.  He  says  he  will  want  to  visit  this  State  several 
times  this  summer  and  asks  me  to  procure  for  him  ''the 
usual  editorial  passes"  over  our  chief  roads,  and  hands 
inclosed  tickets  to  show  the  practice  here.  Please  return 
the  tickets  with  the  pass  or  your  refusal  to  gTant  it. 

I  wish  he  had  not  troubled  me  with  this  commission. 

What  is  the  freight  per  bu.  for  shelled  corn  in  bags 
from  Salisbury  to  this  place — what  on  both  roads  from 
Statesville  to  Raleigh  ? 

Company's  Shops. 


Correspondence  of  Jonathan  Worth.  1097 

To  J.  ^Y.  Maviin. 

Raleigk,  Dec.  3 1st,  1SG7. 
I   have  hitherto  done   and   am  continuing  to   do    all   I  caseofToiarand 

f^  others. 

properly  can  do  for  Capt.  Tolar  and  the  two  men  convicted 
with  him — Powers  and  Watkins, — because  if  they  were 
guilty  of  the  charge,  the  punishment  is  out  of  all  propor- 
tion for  a  crime  springing  from  a  noble  rather  than  from 
a  depraved  heart — and  because  I  believe  the  evidence  as 
to  Tolar,  was  so  contradictory  (the  more  credible  wit- 
nesses proving  his  innocence)  that  no  fair  tribunal  could 
have  convicted  him — and  as  to  the  other  two  convicts  in 
whose  behalf  less  public  sympathy  is  exhibited,  that  there 
was  no  evidence  warranting  a  conviction. 

Besides  writing  to  the  Prest.  asking  for  the  pardon,  I 
lately  made  a  strong  oral  representation  to  him,  giving 
him  a  full  history  of  this  matter,  as  well  as  ones  even 
worse,  against  the  military  oppression  we  are  enduring. 
He  heard  me  at  length  with  profound  interest.  The  mat- 
ters of  malignant  military  oppression  to  which  I  called 
his  attention  have  not  been  furnished  to  the  press: — but 
are  authenticated  by  my  correspondence  with  the  military, 
which  prudential  reasons  have  restrained  me  from  pub- 
lishing. At  his  urgent  request  I  have  just  concluded  a 
letter  to  him,  giving  him  in  writing  the  substance  of  my 
narrative,  sustained  by  copies  of  the  documents  establish- 
ing all  the  facts,  among  which  is  a  history  of  the  fiendish 
malignity  Avith  which  Capt.  Tolar  and  others  have  been 
persecuted  for  the  alleged  murder  of  Beebe.  Be  assured 
if  they  are  not  pardoned,  it  cannot  be  attributed  to  want 
of  zealous  effort  on  my  part.  Your  letter  would  have  been 
sooner  answered  if  I  had  been  able  to  answer  it.  I  have 
been  confined  to  my  fireside  by  sickness  for  two  weeks, 
and  the  writing  out  of  the  voluminous  narrative  for  the 
Prest.  and  other  public  duties  have  taxed  me  heavily. 

Beaufort. 


1098  North  Caroli]N"a  Historical  Commission. 


To  ^y.  G.  Moore. 


Kaleigi:^  Dec  31/0 


1 


Military  govern-  J  Luve  bccii  sick  all  the  time  since  I  saw  vou — am  now 

ment.  «^ 

getting  well  I  lioj)e. 

I  shall  send  vou  bj  Express  to-morrow  a  communica- 
tion wliicli  I  have  made  out  at  the  request  of  the  Prest. 
giving  an  idea  of  the  operations  of  our  Military  Com- 
manders. I  have  deemed  it  necessary  to  accompany  it 
with  many  extracts  to  sustain  my  narrative.  This  makes 
the  pile  of  paj^er  formidable.  I  have  had  my  statement 
copied  by  my  daughter  because  she  writes  very  legibly.  I 
beg  you  not  to  refrain  from  reading  it  on  account  of  its 
length. 

Any  of  the  orders  [Tliree  ivords  illegible^  would  jus- 
tify the  removal  of  Canby — especially  his  jury  orders 
which  are  rapidly  disbanding  our  Courts — his  Provost 
Courts  and  his  numerous  arrests  of  citizens  and  their  trial 
before  Court  martial 

If  you  will  read  this  narrative  to  the  President  or  get 
him  to  read  it,  and  he  shall  thinlv  proper  to  remove  Geiil. 
Canby,  and  appoint  a  fit  successor,  I  am  perfectly  will- 
ing that  the  whole  of  it,  or  any  part  of  it,  with  or  with- 
out the  extracts  be  published  over  my  signature.  But  if 
this  be  published  with  Canby  still  in  office  I  shall  be  re- 
moved :  and  if  for  any  reason  the  President  should  re- 
move him  I  could  not  he  re-instated  [Several  ivords  illeg- 
ible.] as  I  cannot  take  the  iron-clad  oath  and  my  people 
would  severely  criticize  me  for  any  act  resulting  in  put- 
ting in  a  new  Govr.  over  them. 

I  have  submitted  the  documents  to  the  hands  of  the 
President  to  do  with  them  what  he  may  think  best.  It  is 
well  known  that  I  have  always  been  an  ardent  follower  of 
the  great  Whig  leader  Henry  Clay : — always  opposed  to 
ISTullification,  Secession,  Abolitionism  and  all  other  doc- 
trines looking  to  a  dissolution  of  the  Union: — that  as  a 
member  of  the  Senate  of  this  State,  I  voted  in  May  1861 


COKKESPONDENCE    OF    JONATHAN    WoRTII.  1099 

(only  two  others  voting  with  me)  against  the  Convention 
called  to  pass  the  ordinance  of  Secession — and  that  be- 
cause I  felt  it  my  duty  when  war  was  inaugurated  which 
I  could  not  prevent,  to  co-operate  with  my  section.  I  al- 
ways preferred  that  peace  should  be  made  on  the  basis 
of  the  Constitution  of  the  U.  S.  as  established  by  our 
fathers.  I  am  now  reviled  as  a  "rebel"  by  those  who  have 
devoted  their  lives  to  fostering  sectional  alienation,  and 
my  revilers  are  caressed  by  the  fraction  of  a  Constitu- 
tional Congress. 

I  learn  this  morning  that  Genl.  Canby's  latest  legisla- 
tive feat  is  the  issuance  of  orders  to  the  Post  Commander 
here  for  the  suppressing  or  regulating  of  the  whore  houses 
of  this  little  city.  I  have  not  seen  these  orders: — will 
send  you  a  copy  of  them  if  I  can  get  a  copy. — "l^ero  fid- 
dles while  Rome  is  on  fire". 

Washington,  D.  C. 


To  Andrew  Johnson. 

RaleiCxH,  Dec.  31  1867. 

I  learn  that  my  friend,  B.  S.  Hedrick,  a  native  of  this 
State,  now  holding  an  important  position  in  the  Patent 
Office,  may  present  his  name  to  you  for  nomination  to  fill 
the  vacancy  of  Comr.  of  Patents.  Pie  graduated  with  dis- 
tinction in  our  University — was  for  a  considerable  time 
one  of  its  professors,-^is  a  gentleman  of  exemplary  moral 
character,  and  is  familiar  of  the  duties  of  the  position  he 
seeks  to  fill.  He  is  ardently  attached  to  his  native  State 
and  has  rendered  me  much  service  in  Washington  since  I 
have  been  Governor.  I  regard  him  as  an  eminently  suit- 
able man  to  fill  this  vacancy,  and  I  shall  feel  personally 
obliged  if  you  shall  thinlv  proper  to  nominate  him:  and 
I  think  our  people  would  be  gratified  at  such  mark  of  ap- 
preciation for  one  of  her  sons,  who  is  indebted  to  his  own 
efforts  for  his  highly  respectable  attainments. 


1100  ISToRTH  Carolixa  Historical  Commission. 

To  David  L.  Swain. 

Raleigh.  Dec.  31  1807. 

I  herewith  transmit  a  copy  of  the  resolution  passed  at 
the  late  meeting  of  the  Trustees  of  the  University  in 
which  I  heartily  concur. 

The  indisposition  which  prevented  my  being  present 
when  the  resolution  was  passed  has  confined  me  to  my  fire- 
side up  to  this  time,  and  many  pressing  ofiicial  duties 
have  so  occupied  the  time  I  could  devote  to  them,  that 
I  hope  you  will  excuse  my  apparent  tardiness  in  trans- 
mitting it  to  you. 

My  health  is  much  improved. 

Chapel  Hill^  ISF.  C. 


ment. 


To  John  Kerr. 

Raleigh^  Jan.  1/68. 
Miiuary  govern-  You  will  remember  with  what  reluctance  I  pardoned 
Johnson,  in  the  face  of  what  seemed  to  be  the  universal  de- 
mand of  my  friends,  backed  by  the  military  authorities  of 
the  U.  S.  In  view  of  all  our  surroundings  the  facts 
brought  to  my  knowledge  led  me  to  believe  that  he  ought 
to  have  been  con^'icted  for  larceny  and  not  Burglary.  The 
alternative  of  hanging — or  total  exemption  from  imprison- 
ment, for  a  great  crime  depended  on  my  action.  The 
delegation  from  Caswell,  backed  by  Mr.  Hill  and  the 
military,  pressed  the  petition  for  out  and  out  pardon.  I 
most  reluctantly  granted  the  pardon,  upon  the  condition 
that  the  convict  pay  the  costs,  which  Mr.  Hill  represented 
he  would  do : — But  when  it  was  ascertained  he  could  not 
pay  the  costs,  I  made  the  pardon  unconditional.  I  had 
written  to  our  friend  Mr.  Settle  for  the  proofs  on  the  trial. 
He  had  failed  to  answer.  This  much  to  excuse  myself 
for  pardoning  this  villian.      For  your  part  in  it,   it  is 


i 


CoKKESPONDENCE    OF    JoiN'ATlIAN    ^^'oKTi^.  1101 

euoiigii  that  jou  were  his  counsel.  I  held  the  scales  of 
justice.  If  they  were  not  ''right  adjusted"  I  think  I  am 
not  culpable. 

I  had  been  for  months  corresponding  with  the  poor 
devils  whom  Congress  had  made  our  military  governors, 
against  tlie  trial  of  civilians  by  court  martial :  and  was 
full  of  indignation  at  the  want  of  regard  for  these  remon- 
strances when  the  letter  touching  the  arrest  of  Griffin  was 
reed.  I  inunediately  addressed  the  Prest.  I  inclose  copy 
of  my  letter,  and  again  asked  Mr.  Settle  for  a  version  of 
the  facts  proved  on  the  trial  of  Johnson,  as  your  letter 
stated  that  Griffin  had  been  arrested  upon  the  evidence  of 
this  felon  and  Tourgee,  whom  I  regard  as  a  still  greater 
villain.  Mr.  Settle  answered  promptly,  and  I  forwarded 
it  with  my  remonstrance,  to  Genl  Canby, 

The  Prest.  referred  my  letter,  addressed  to  him,  to 
Genl  Grant,  who  referred  it  to  Genl  Canby.  The  terms 
"iniquity"  and  "military  oppression" — gave  offence — and 
drew  from  him  by  way  of  reply,  a  little  volume  addressed 
to  Genl  Grant,  (a  partial  copy  of  which  Genl.  Canby  fur- 
nishes me)  assailing  our  Courts  generally — sustaining  the 
character  of  Tourgee  as  a  Capt.  of  the  U.  S.  army  and 
extolling  Johnson  for  his  partriotic  services  in  the  U.  S. 
army — assailing  me  for  "disingenuousness," — purjiorting 
to  detail  the  evidence  in  Johnson's  trial  and  summing  up 
with  the  conclusions — first — that  Johnson  was  convicted 
not  for  the  offence  with  which  he  was  charged,  but  be- 
cause he  had  deserted  the  Confederate  army — and  had 
fled  the  conscription  hunters,  and  joined  the  TJ.  S.  army — 
had  guided  Sherman  and  "ought  to  be  hanged  any  how."  I 
thought  I  could  see  in  this  letter,  coupled  with  the  givings 
out  of  the  devil  who  presides  over  Padicalism  in  X.  C, 
my  official  decapitation — and  as  an  act  of  duty  to  the  peo- 
ple of  the  State,  went  to  see  the  president.  He  was  aston- 
ished with  my  account  of  military  usurpation  in  N^.  C. — 
and  requested  me,  urgently,  to  furnish  him  in  writing  a 
narrative  of  the  facts  I  had  stated  to  him: — interference 


1102  XOKTH    CaROLIXA    HISTORICAL    COMMISSION. 

wirh  our  juries — Court  uuirtials  for  the  trial  of  oiviliansi 
— arbitrary  arrests — and  removals  from  office,  etc  with 
copies  of  my  remonstrances  against  these  things.  I  have 
been  confined  to  my  fireside  by  sickness  since  my  return 
• — but  have  just  completed  the  narrative,  sustained  by  un- 
answerable proofs — copies  of  my  correspondence  with 
Sickles  and  Canby.  I  expect  it  to  result  in  Canby's  re- 
moval— or  ill  my  removal.  The  Prest.  will  sustain,  me 
wdth  all  the  power  he  has.  This  rapid  review  brings  me  to 
the  pui-pose  of  this  letter.  It  may  become  very  important 
to  me  to  know  all  that  is  kno-s\m  to  Mr.  Griffith,  as  to  his 
arrest  and  trial.  Were  Johnson  or  Tourgee- — or  either  of 
them  examined  or  their  affidavits  brought  forward  on  the 
trial  ?  What  did  they  prove  ?  What  were  the  charge  and 
specification  vs.  Griffith  ?  To  what  costs  and  expense  was 
he  subjected  ?  Any  other  facts  you  deem  it  important  for 
me  to  know. 

In  Genl.  Canby's  letter  to  Grant,  he  lays  down  as  a 
principle  of  public  law,  sustained  he  says  by  the  Presi- 
dent's proclamation  of  the  29  Apl  1865,  that  all  the  pre- 
ceedings  in  our  Courts  during  the  rebellion,  are  absolutely 
null  and  void :  hence  the  indictment  against  Johnson  was 
a  nullity:  and  that  the  Court  would  have  been  guilty  of 
"murder  if  he  had  been  hanged''. 

The  subject  is  too  wide  to  allow  me  (oppressed  with 
other  duties)  to  go  more  into  detail. 

In  view  of  all  the  circumstances,  public  and  personal. 
I  am  sure  you  will  not  regard  me  as  asking  too  much  of 
you. 

Yaxceyville. 


i 


To  Commander  of  Post,  Xewhern. 

Paleigii  Jo)}.  l/GS. 

I  am  informed  that  a  large  band  of  banditti  who  have 
been  committine;  robber v  and  murder  in  Pitt  County  have 


CoKRESPONDEISrCE    OF    JONATHAN    WoRTH.  1103 

been  arrested  and  are  now  confined  in  jail  at  Greenv'ille. 
I  am  afraid  tliev  will  be  rescned  or  make  their  escape. 
I  have  sent  a  commission  to  Judge  Warren  to  hold  a  Court 
of  Oyer  and  Terminer  in  Pitt  at  an  early  day  for  their 
trial.  As  we  are  not  permitted  to  organise  the  militia, 
will  you  send  without  delay  an  adequate  detail  of  rclialJe 
soldiers  to  guard  the  jail  until  their  trial: — and  if  con- 
victed, until  they  shall  be  executed. 


To 

Raleigh.  Jan.  2nd  1808. 

I  have  long  known  Bryan  Tyson  by  re2:»utation.  He 
lived  in  this  State  at  the  breaking  out  of  the  late  war  (I 
think  he  is  a  native  of  this  State).  By  printed  publica- 
tions and  otherwise  he  strongly  opposed  the  war  and  has 
always  been  an  ardent  supporter  of  the  Union.  I  think 
no  man  can  be  found  in  America  who  has  at  all  times 
more  consistently  supported  the  Union. 

He  is  an  enterprising  man  and  has  done  much  for  the 
distressed  people  of  ]^orth  Carolina  since  he  took  up  his 
residence  in  Washington  City,  some  three  or  four  years 
ago.  He  has  my  fervent  wishes  for  success  wherever  he 
be  and  in  whatever  business  enterprises  he  may  engage. 
Like  all  zealous  Union  men  he  is  now  reviled  by  many 
new  converts  in  this  State. 


To  Bvyaii  Tyson. 

EaleicxH,  Jan.  2nd  1868. 

I  came  home  from  Washington  quite  sick  some  four 
weeks  ago — have  been  able  to  get  to  my  office  only  twice 
on  very  special  business,  remaining  only  a  few  minutes, 
since  my  return  from  Washington.     I  have  hardly  been 


1104  NoKTH  Carolina  Historical  Commission. 

able  to  attend  to  my  important  official  duties,  I  regret 
that  among  the  many  things  deferred  has  been  such  delay 
in  answering  as  to  draw  from  jour  note  of  the  9th  nit. 
As  it  does  me  unintentional  wa-ong,  I  herewith  return  it, 
its  theme  being  oppressive. 

My  health  is  not  restored — and  I  write  with  difficulty 
and  a  tremulous  hand. 

Washington  City. 


To  Governor  Charles  J.  Jenkins^ 

Raleigh^  Jan.  3/ 08. 
Various  matters  Judging   froui   vour   last   annual   campaign    and   other 

connected  with  .  "    .  Jr      o 

Reconstruction,  sourccs  of  information,  I  have  thought  there  was  much 
accordance  between  yr.  views  and  mine  in  relation  to  the 
late  convulsions  in  the  National  Government — and  the 
measures  proper  to  be  adopted  to  repair  the  terrible  mis- 
chiefs resulting  from  it : — and  being  in  Washington  city 
last  spring  to  collect  all  the  information  I  could  by  which 
to  shield  my  conduct  in  the  anomalous  condition  we  were 
placed  by  the  legislation  of  Congress:  and  learning  from 
Judge  Sharkie  and  Govr.  Parsons,  that  you  had  gone  to 
l!^.  Y.  and  that  your  return  to  Washington  was  daily  ex- 
pected, I  waited  several  days  to  see  you  and  interchange 
view^s  with  you  as  to  the  course  we  ought  to  adopt,  in  the 
then  existing  state  of  affairs,  particularly  in  reference  to 
the  question  as  to  the  expediency  of  seeking  relief  from 
the  acts  of  Congress,  then  recently  passed,  through  the 
Supreme  Court  of  the  U.  S. 

Believing  that  the  plan  of  Govrs.  Sharkie  and  Walker 
would  not  elicit  a  decision  of  the  Court  on  the  constitu- 
tionality of  the  acts — I  decided  not  to  make  jST.  C.  a  party 
to  the  proposed  suit.  Your  stay  in  IST.  Y.  being  protracted 
beyond  what  your  friends  expected,  I  returned  home,  dis- 
appointed as  to  meeting  you. 

I  have  never  doubted  as  to  the  unconstitutionality  of 
these  acts,  or  as  to  their  vicious  tendency. 

1  Governor  of  Georgia. 


COERESPOXDEISCE    OF    JoiS^ATHAN    WORTH.  1105 

I  was  always  friendly  attached  to  the  old  Constitution 
and  Union  party:  an  ardent  admirer  of  Clay  and  Web- 
ster— and  their  co-adjutors:  was  a  member  of  the  Senate 
in  this  State — and  even  in  May,  1861,  voted  against  the 
Convention  to  dissolve  the  Union,  only  two  others  acting 
with  me.  Strong  as  were  mx  convictions  against  the  views 
uf  our  Secession  friends,  they  were  stronger  against  the 
other  disunion  party, — the  Abolitionists.  When  my  ef- 
forts to  avoid  war  were  ineifcctual,  I  did  not  deem  it  ex- 
])edient  to  desert  my  section,  and  abandon  my  home  and 
kindred,  and  thereafter  cooperated  in  good  faith  with 
my  section,  until  war  decided  the  contest;  since  which  i 
have  ardently  sought  to  soothe  sectional  animosity  and 
restore  the  government  to  its  old  status.  I  regard  the 
actions  of  Congress  since  the  war  with  positive  abhorrence. 
After  these  preliminaries  I  reach  my  point. 

Our  abominable  Convention  assembles  on  the  14th  inst. 
The  State  of  our  Treasury  -would  enable  us,  without  ex- 
haustion, to  meet  the  reasonable  ex})enses  of  this  Revolu- 
tionary assemblage.  It  is  probable  that  Genl  Canby  will 
require  (with  the  sanction  of  the  Convention)  that  these 
expenses  be  paid  out  of  the  State  Treasury.  The  Treasr, 
by  the  laws  of  the  State,  can  pay  only  on  the  warrant  of 
the  Govr.  The  Govr.  can  give  a  warrant  only  in  con- 
fonnity  with  the  laws  of  the  State.  The  legislation  of 
Congress,  as  I  imderstand  it,  (even  if  Constitutional)  does 
not  warrant  the  military  Comt  to  make  such  order.  With 
the  lights  now  before  me,  I  will  not  obey  such  mandate, 
if  issued.  Such  order,  if  issued,  may  be  directed,  as  I  in- 
fer from  news-paper  accounts,  it  was  directed,  in  your 
State,  to  the  Treasr — overlooking  the  Govr.  In  this  case 
it  would  not  be  material  to  me,  as  Governor.  The  respon- 
sibility would  rest  on  the  Treasr. 

Our  military  comt.  is,  con  amore,  a  Radical.  lie  be- 
lieves, as  he  has  assured  me  that  the  laws  he  is  appointed 
to  execute,  are  not  only  constitutional,  but  wise.  He  con- 
siders these  laws  as  investing  him  with  unlimited  despotic 
Vol.  2—29 


1106  North  Carolina  Historical  Commission. 


1 


power  over  the  l;i\vs  and  (\»iistitution  of  this  State.  Sick- 
les niaiiitaiiicd  these  views  as  a  i)ai'tizaii  and  politician. 
Caiihv  maintains  them  as  a  narrow  minded  conscientious 
Radical — Both  have  issued  edict  after  edict,  until  thej 
have  made  a  new  code  for  us, — destroying  the  respectabil- 
ity of  trial  by  jury, — forcing  the  most  manly  of  our 
judges  to  resign  rather  than  be  the  instruments  of  execut- 
ing their  code:  have  established  new  tribunals  of  justice, 
held  l)y  men  having  no  pretensions  to  law  learning,  with 
jurisdiction  in  many  counties  extending  to  every  thing 
civil  and  criminal,  save  murder,  manslaughter.  Rape  and 
Arson, — and  where  this  Court  has  not  been  established, 
authorising  arrests  by  military  detectives — and  the  im- 
prisonment in  distant  military  fortresses,  of  civilians, 
without  preliminary  trial ;  and  trial  by  Court  martial 
without  colorable  pretext  that  justice  is  not  impartially 
administered  by  our  Courts :  the  removal  of  innumerable 
officers,  assigning  no  cause  for  such  removals — and  filling 
these  places  with  men  not  only  intrinsically  unworthy 
— but  excessively  odious  to  the  communities  in  which  they 
are  to  act,   etc. 

I  foresee,  if  the  Prest.  shall  not  remove  Canby,  it  is 
not  unlikely  I  shall  be  removed.  I  have  not  deemed  it 
expedient  to  make  any  public  oflficial  announcement  of  my 
utter  detestation  of  the  whole  Congressional  programme — 
but  it  is  well  known  that  I  should  have  voted,  if  not  dis- 
franchised, against  the  call  of  this  Convention,  and  that  I 
would  not  vote  to  ratify  the  action  (whatever  it  may  be) 
of  what  I  regard  as  an  unconstitutional — revolutionary 
convention. 

How  stands  this  matter  now,  as  to  paying  your  Con- 
vention between  the  Convention  and  your  Treasr.  and  your- 
self ?  How  happens  it  that  Pope  did  not  remove  your 
Treasr.  and  you  for  not  obeying  the  mandate  issued  by 
him  and  the  Convention  requiring  you  to  pay? 

Any  information  you  may  find  it  convenient  and  agree- 
able to  you  to  give  me  touching  this  paying  of  the  Conven- 


COKKESPONDENCE    OF    JoNATHAN    WoKTlF.  1107 

tion,  which  I  foresee  is  soon  to  be  upon  ns,  will  be  thank- 
fully received. 

]\IlLLEI)GEVILLE^   Ga. 


ment. 


To  ^V.  G.  Moore. 

liAEEiGii^  Jan.  Jf  1868. 

I  enclose  new  edict  of  Genl.  Canby  'No.  164  which  ap-  Military  govem- 
peared  in  the  news-papers  yesterday.  The  simple  read- 
ing of  it  will  satisfy  you  that  it  would  be  a  relief  to  our 
civil  authorities  if  the  General  would  hlot  out  all  sem- 
blance of  civil  rnle,  providing  he  would  find  other  agents  to 
carry  out  the  new  mandates  he  is  continually  issuing  ab- 
rogating our  laws  and  creating  new  ones. 

I  heard  from  a  reliable  source  that  some  weeks  ago  he 
removed  the  Shff.  of  Richmond  County,  as  usual  without 
assigning  any  cause,  and  appointed  another:  that  the  new 
apjiointee  could  neither  give  a  hond — nor  talvC  the  iron- 
clad oath :  that  he  has  been  acting  ever  since  wdthout  quali- 
fying and  without  taking  any  oath  of  office:  that  a  mili- 
tary agent  was  sent  there  to  see  if  a  man  could  be  found 
fit  to  fill  the  office  who  could  give  bond  and  take  oaths: 
that  the  agent  reported  to  Col.  Cogswell,  Post  Commander 
of  the  district  in  which  Richmond  is  situated,  that  no 
such  man  could  be  found ;  but,  recommending  that  the 
new  appointee  be  allowed  to  go  on  performing  the  duties 
of  Shff.  without  giving  bond  or  qualifying:  that  his  re- 
port was  sent  Genl.  Canby,  who  has  referred  it  to  Col. 
Bomford,  Post  Commander  in  this  City,  the  military 
posts  having  been  recently  changed  whereby  Richmond 
County  is  attached  to  this  post :  and  that  Col.  Bomford 
has  the  subject  nnder  consideration  and  is  greatly  per- 
plexed— One  of  the  expedients  being  suggested  to  him, 
being  the  a]ipointment  of  a  Sergeant  from  the  army  to  go 
to  Richmond  County  and  act  as  Shff.  thereof:  I  learn  that 
the  Colonel,   Bomford,   has  not    vet    decided  whether  to 


1108  NoETii  Carolina  IIistokical  Commission. 

adopt  this  ex})(  client  or  not.  If  Canby  be  continued  in 
command  the  State  government  will  be  in  a  positive  state 
of  chaos ;  and  already  every  civil  officer  is  bewildered  by 
the  innumerable  innovations  and  partial  recovations  of 
2)revious  military  edicts.  The  code  military  is  not  con- 
solidated in  any  volume,  but  our  civil  officers  and  peo|)le 
are  expected  to  understand  and  obey  and  preserve  them. 
None  of  our  news-papers  being  authorised  or  paid  to  pub- 
lish them  save  the  Siandard  and  Pioneer,  two  ultra  Radi- 
cal Journals,  which  are  warmed  into  life  by  money  paid 
them  from  the  Xational  Treasury,  to  traduce  us  and  nur- 
ture Radicalism. 

I  cut  from  a  news-paper  edict  IS^o.  164  and  inclose  it. 

I  dare  not  indulge  in  commentary  on  it. 

All  of  it  is  unnecessary.  Even  his  display  of  benefi- 
cence to  the  poor  in  diverting  the  money  arising  from  li- 
censes to  the  retailers,  from  the  fund  set  apart  for  the  sup- 
port of  common  schools.  The  wreck  of  this  fund  consists 
of  $600,000.  in  one  of  our  best  Rail  Roads — and  above 
$300,000,  ante-bellum  State  bonds.  Since  the  war  our 
legislation  has  looked  to  building  up  this  fund  and  more 
than  $100,000,  have  been  added  to  it.  The  tax  on  Re- 
tailers' licenses  have  been  set  apart  since  1825  in  aid  of 
our  School  fund.  He  never  consults  me  as  to  any  of  his 
edicts  remodeling  our  laws,  I  think  from  the  ill  success 
of  all  my  remonstrances,  that  to  continue  them  would  be 
as  useless — as  it  would  be  undignified. 

The  proposed  relief  to  debtors  for  the  purchase  of  ne- 
groes, almost  universally  enures  to  the  benefit  of  the  ne- 
gro speculators  and  to  the  injury  of  widows  and  orphans. 

The  regulation  as  to  bail  operates  only  to  let  adventurers 
who  have  come  among  us  and  abused  the  credulitv  of  our 
people  by  contracting  debts  run  away  without  paying,  I 
have  never  heard  of  any  honest  man  being  beset  to  give 
bail. 

His  paragraph  headed  "Executoi's  and  Trustees"  is 
absurd  as  applied  to  this  State.     We  never  had  any  law 


Correspondence  of  Jonathan  Worth.  1109 

aiithorisiug  guardians,  executors  etc  to  invest  in  Con- 
federate bonds.  Under  an  old  Statute,  passed  some  20 
years  ago,  they  were  authorised  to  invest  in  State  bonds, 
and  all  our  bonds  issued  to  carry  on  the  war  were  repudi- 
ated by  our  Convention  of  1865. 

His  chapter  '''District  Courts"  is  wholly  unnecessary. 
I  have  jjower  and  am  continually  exercising  it,  of-  appoint- 
ing Courts  of  Oyer  and  Terminer,  to  try  criminals  and  ex- 
tra terms,  where  necessary.  Our  Courts  of  Quarter  Ses- 
sion having  concurrent  jurisdiction  with  our  Supr  Courts, 
as  to  petty  offences,  sit  every  three  months.  Six  regailar 
terms  are  held  in  every  county  each  year.  Special  terms 
to  save  costs  by  trying  petty  offenders  would  cost  more 
than  they  would  save.  Our  laws  provide  that  each  county 
pay  the  costs  not  paid  by  defendants,  for  the  prosecution 
of  offenders : — and  county  revenue  is  provided  for  the 
purpose.  He  charges  the  expense  of  these  special  terms  to 
be  paid  out  of  the  State  Treasury,  not  supplied  with  funds 
for  this  purpose. 

His  pilotage  order  is  issued  to  reverse  a  decision  of  our 
Courts. 

His  section  6,  if  carried  out,  will  essentially  affect  the 
amount  of  Revenue  to  be  collected  this  year.  Our  laws 
require  the  owner  of  lands  to  list  for  taxation  (poll  tax) 
and  pay  for  all  persons  liable  to  pay  such  tax,  who  are  in 
their  employment  on  the  1  Apl  each  year.  The  owner  of 
the  land  is  allowed  to  retain  enough,  (out  of  the  wages  of 
such  employees),  to  indemnify  himself.  In  this  way  mi- 
gratory persons  are  listed,  who  would  otherwise  evade  list- 
ing, and  a  large  amount  of  taxes  are  collected  from  per- 
sons from  whom  nothing  could  be  had  by  distress.  It 
operates  alike  on  white  and  black.  Under  this  edict  al- 
most nothing  will  be  made  from  men  (white  and  black) 
who  work  for  wages.  Its  operation  will  be  to  save  from 
the  payment  of  any  tax  nearly  all  the  negroes  and  wany 
white  man. 

AVith  this  brief  commentary  I  dismiss  the  subject. 


1110 


]SroRTii  Carolina  Historical  Commission. 


Concerning  the 
appointment  of  a 
judge. 


Our  Convention  is  called  to  meet  on  the  l-tth  inst.  I 
suppose  the  General  will  require  me  to  issue  my  warrants 
on  the  Treas  to  i)ay  the  expenses  of  the  Convention.  This 
I  will  not  do,  uidess  I  can  see  some  new  light  on  the 
subject. 

I  write  this  expecting  you  to  bring  it  to  the  attention  of 
the  President. 

I  am  still  indisj^osed,  (but  improving),  and  my  hand 
is  so  tremulous  I  fear  you  will  be  at  some  trouble  to  read 
what  I  have  written. 

Wasiiixgtox^  D.  C. 


To  Thomas  J.  ^Vilson. 

Raleigh  Jan.  Jf  1868. 
I  am  greatly  annoyed  by  the  uncertainty  in  which  I 
am  left,  as  to  the  acceptance  or  non-acceptance  of  our 
friend  Poindexter  of  the  appointment  of  Judge.  I  do 
not  know  his  postoffiee.  I  have  twice  written  you  to  as- 
certain and  report  to  me  whether  he  would  accept  or  not 
— in  the  latter  letter  written  by  my  secy.,  inclosing  to 
him  his  commission.  I  have  reed,  no  answer.  Should  he 
decline,  it  is  hardly  probable  now  to  get  together  my  Coun- 
cil and  act  in  time  for  his  Circuit.     What  is  the  matter  ? 

WlXSTOX. 


Concerning  the 
appointment  of  a 
judge. 


To  Thomas  S.  Ashe. 

Jan.  0  1808. 

I  am  today  notified  by  Mr.  Poindexter  that  he  declines 
the  acceptance  of  our  nomination,  for  the  reason,  among 
others,  that  he  cannot  conscientiously  take  the  teste  oath. 

I  am  in  doubt  whether  I  ought  again  to  put  the  mem- 
bers of  the  Council  of  State  to  the  inconvenience  of  as- 
sembling here.     I  know  of  no  one  having  any  just  ])re- 


COKRESPOA-DEACr-:    OF    JOXATIIAN     WoK'lll.  1111 

tensions  to  be  a  judge,  who  would  accept  the  a])poiiitment 
uudtr  the  existing  circumstances.  I  suppose,  if  we  make 
no  nomination,  some  sergeant  or  other  oHicer  of  the  U.  S. 
army,  or  some  worse  man  who  is  a  citizen  of  the  State,  will 
be  appointed. 

Will  you  favor  me  with  your  personal  ojdnion  whether 
I  ought  again  to  assemble  the  Council,  or  to  report  that 
1  can  make  no  recommendation  fit  to  fill  the  position,  who 
will  accept  and  take  the  required  oaths,  thus  throwing  the 
responsibility  exclusively  on  the  military  Court  ?  Will 
you  do  me  the  favor  to  respond  promptly. 

Wadesboko. 


To  W.  A.  Wright. 

Raleigh  Jan  6  ISOS. 

I  am  this  day  in  receipt  of  a  letter  from  Mr    Poin- C|;|;^ermng  the  ^ 
dexter,  declining  to  accept  the  appointment  of  judge,  the  J"^^^- 
reasons  among  others,  that  he  cannot  take  the  teste  oath. 

Before  incurring  the  expense  and  subjecting  the  CV)un- 
cil  to  the  inconvenience  of  assembling  here,  I  request  that 
you  ascertain  definiteJy  from  Mr.  Baker  whether  he  would 
accept  the  appointment. 

If  he  will  not  I  incline  to  the  opinion  that  we  had  bet- 
ter, limited  as  we  are,  throw  the  whole  responsibility  on 
Genl.  Canby. 

Give  me  your  views  on  this.  It  is  important  to  have 
your  answer  as  soon  as  possible. 

Wilmington. 


1112  North  Carolina  Historical  Commission. 

To  R.  11.  Cuwan.' 

Raleigh  Jan  6  ISOS. 

Some  five  or  six  weeks  ago,  Genl  Canby  sent  me  for  my 
remarks,  an  appeal  by  certain  clients  of  Vance  and  Dowd 
(names  not  now  remembered)  praying  for  military  inter- 
position to  compel  yonr  Road  to  pay  them  for  work  done 
for  you  since  the  war  (building  bridges,  I  believe)  for 
which  they  had  obtained  judgments  against  your  Com- 
pany, but  which  could  not  be  enforced  on  account  of  the 
mortgage  which  the  State  holds  on  your  Road  and  all  its 
effects. 

This  appeal  represented  the  appellants  as  poor  men 
who  had  re-built  certain  bridges,  destroyed  in  the  latter 
part  of  the  war,  or  carried  off  by  other  casualty,  under  a 
special  promise  by  persons  making  the  contract  in  be- 
half of  your  Company,  that  the  work  should  be  promptly 
paid  for  on  its  completion :  but  that  the  work  being  done 
your  Company  sheltered  itself  from  payment  under  said 
mortgage.  The  case  as  presented  by  the  appellants  and 
the  arguments  of  their  counsel,  exhibited  wanton  bad 
faith  on  the  part  of  the  subordinate  authorities  of  your 
Company. 

As  I  knew  nothing  of  the  facts,  save  what  appeared 
from  this  ex-parte  showing,  I  replied  that  no  action  ought 
to  be  taken  against  your  Company  until  you  were  heard: 
that  these  parties  must  be  presumed  to  have  known  of  the 
existence  of  the  mortgage  and  that  the  State  ought  not 
to  be  deprived  of  the  benefit  of  the  mortgage,  even  if  the 
officers  of  the  Company  were  guilty  of  the  bad  faith  im- 
puted to  them — and  wound  up  promising  to  investigate  the 
matter. 

I  soon  afterwards  saw  Gov.  Vance  who  told  me  he  had 
made  an  appeal  to  you,  as  prest.  of  the  Road,  in  behalf 
of  his  clients — and  that  you  had  ordered  the  payment  of 


1  President  of  the  Wilmington,  Chailotte  and  Rutlieiford  Kailroad. 


COKRESPOXDENCE    OF    JONATHAN    WoiiTII.  11]  3 

his  clients'  claims:  but  that  your  subordinate  (Mr,  Guion 
I  believe)    obstinately  disregarded  your  order. 

I  was  going  to  Washington  a  day  or  two  after,  and  de- 
signed seeing  you  on  the  subject,  but  on  my  arrival  there, 
on  inquir)^,  found  yon  were  gone  to  New  York.  The  mat- 
ter, thus  230stponed,  went  out  of  memory  until  my  atten- 
tion was  recalled  to  it  by  a  late  letter  from  Genl  Canby. 

I  request  that  you  give  immediate  attention  to  the  mat- 
ter and  favor  me  with  an  answer  as  soon  as  you  can:  if 
the  memorialists  state  the  facts  truly,  that  you  take  care 
that  they  be  paid  without  delay. 

Wilmington. 


To  D.  F,  Caldwell,  B.  P.  McLean  and  R.  Goircll. 

Raleigh^  Jan.  6tJi  1SG8. 
When  I  was  informed  of  the  arrest  of  the  Shtf.  of  Gas-  Military  an-ests. 
well  upon  information  furnished  by  Tourgee  and  John- 
son, and  his  transportation  to  Charleston  to  be  tried  be- 
fore a  Coui-t  martial,  having  made  to  Genl.  Sickles  and 
Ganby  ineffectual  remonstrances  against  such  arrests  and 
trials,  I  addressed  the  Prest  on  the  subject  and  charac- 
terised Tourgee  and  Johnson,  as  men  of  "most  destable 
character"  in  this  State.  My  letter  was  referred  to  Genl. 
Grant  and  by  him  sent  to  Genl.  Canby  for  his  remarks. 
Canby  sent  me  a  partial  copy  of  a  little  volume  which  he 
wrote  to  Genl.  Grant,  in  which  he  says  that  my  account  of 
the  character  of  Ca])t.  Tourgee  is  "not  accepted".  In  my 
reply  I  stand  by  my  assertion.  This  affair  is  likely  to 
culminate,  I  think,  in  the  removal  of  myself  or  Canby.  I 
have  the  most  emphatic  assurances  of  the  Prest  that  he 
will  sustain  me.  I  am  certain  that  all  the  power  of  the 
ulti-a  Radicals  will  be  employed  to  bring  about  my  re- 
moval—and I  know  nobody  in  stronger  sympathy  Avith 
the  ultra  Radicals  than  Canby.  I  am  certain  Canl)y  will 
remove  me  if  i\o{  restrained  by  apprehension  of  his  own 
removal,  if  he  do  so. 


J 114  XoKTu  Cakolixa  Historical  Commission. 

To-night  I  have  reed  from  Geul.  Canbj  a  letter  in  which 
he  says  "Mr.  A.  H.^  Tourgee  has  been  nominated  to  fill  a 
vacancy  in  Civil  Office  in  X.  C.  and  would  have  received 
immediate  ai)pointment  but  for  the  charges  affecting  his 
moral  character  made  against  him  by  you  in  your  official 
communication  of  the  30th  Xov.  18G7." 

With  a  view  to  the  investigation  of  such  charges  I  de- 
sire you  to  furnish  me  with  the  names  and  address  of  all 
parties  from  whom  you  derived  the  information  upon 
which  your  charge  was  based.  .Vnd  also  a  statement  of 
any  matters  within  your  knowledge  that  may  be  important 
to  such  inquiry. 

It  is  of  great  interest  to  the  public  that  men  of  es- 
tablished character  should  fill  the  public  offices,  and  of  no 
less  importance  to  the  nominee  that  an  opportunity  should 
be  offered  him  to  vindicate  his  character  from  public 
charges  which,  if  true,  disqualify  him  from  holding  of- 
fice." 

Xow  I  am  sure  I  have  heard  more  than  100  men  speak 
of  Tourgee  all  representing  him  as  a  man  of  "most  detest- 
able character''  and  I  never  heard  one  speak  well  of  him 
— but  I  can  desienate  onlv  a  few  of  them.  All  I  can 
now  remember  are  two  of  you,  Messrs.  ^McLean  and  Cald- 
well ;  B.  S.  Hedrick,  Hiram  "Worth  and  Jesse  Wheeler — 
and  I  believe  the  two  Messrs  Gilmers  and  Peter  xVdams. 
Will  you  see  these  gentlemen  and  ascertain  of  them 
whether  they  remember  to  have  spoken  to  me  in  disparag- 
ment  of  the  general  character  of  Tourgee.  Will  you  also 
give  me  the  names  of  other  good  men  who  will  say,  if 
called  upon  that  he  is  not  generally  regarded  as  a  man 
of  good  character  for  truth  and  honor.  I  would  prefer,  if 
not  objectionable,  to  have  the  signatures  of  a  number  of 
your  prominent  citizens  to  a  certificate  of  this  sort — 

Being  requested  by  Govr.  Worth  to  state  whether  we 
know  the  general  character  of  A.  H.  Tourgee  among  the 
most   respectable    and     intelligent     citizens    of    Guilford 


'  This  is  an  error.     A.  W.  Tourgee  is  intended. 


CoIiRESPO^'DEXCE    OF    JONATliA.X    AVoUTll.  1115 

Coimtv,  as  to  truth  and  honor,  we  answer  that  we  do  know 
his  general  character  among  these  classes  and  that  it  is 
bad.     Jan.  7  18G8. 

Poindexter  refuses  to  fill  the  vacancy  occasioned  by  the 
resignation  of  Judge  Fowle.  I  presume  this  is  the  va- 
cancy Tourgee  seeks  to  fill.  I  beg  you  to  answer  very 
promptly. 

[P.  S.]    What  does  Major  Worth  think  of , Tourgee. 


To  WiUlam  Eaton. 

Raleigh,  Jan.  0  1SG8. 
I  am  this  day  notified  bv  Mr.  Poindexter  that  he  can- conceminf,' the 

"^  apj)ointmeut  of  a 

not   accept   the  appointment  oi   Judge.      He   cannot   con- J"dge. 
scientiously  take: the  test  oath. 

I  know  no  one  having  any  respectable  pretensions  to  fill 
the  place,  who  will  accept.  In  the  present  aspect  of  af- 
fairs would  not  acceptance  itself  be  strong  evidence  of 
unworthiness. 

Will  you  favor  me  with  your  personal  advice  and  opin- 
ion whether  I  ought  to  subject  the  Council  of  State  to 
the  inconvenience  and  the  State  to  the  expense  of  again 
convening  the  Council  ?  Limited  as  we  are  will  it  not  be 
best  to  throw  the  responsibility  on  the  military  comt.  ? 

Warrextox. 


To  John  Kerr. 

Raleigh,  Ja)\.  6  1S6S. 

On  recpt.  of  your  letter  touching  the  arrest  of  Mr.  Military  arrci^t^ 
Griffin,  having  made  divers  ineffectual  remonstrances  to 
Genl.  Canby  against  such  arrests,  I  wrote  the  Prest.  (a 
copy  of  which  I  inclosed  to  you  on  the  1st  inst)  in  which 
I  speak  in  strong  terms  of  the  "detestable  character"  of 
Tourgee.  I  am  this  evening  in  receipt  of  a  letter  fi-om 
Genl.  Canby  in  which  he  says  "Mr.  A.  H.  Tourgee  has 
been  nominated  to  fill  a  vacancy  in  civil  office  in  ]^.  C, 


1116  XoETii  Carolina  Historical  Commission. 

and  would  have  reed  immediate  appointment  but  for  the 
charges  affecting  his  moral  character  made  against  hira 
by  you  in  vour  eoniinunieatioii  of  the  30th  Xov.  1867. 

"With  a  view  to  the  investigation  of  such  charges  I  de- 
sire jou  to  furnish  me  with  the  names  and  addresses  of 
all  parties  from  whom  you  derived  the  information  upon 
which  your  charge  was  based :  and  also  a  statement  of  any 
matter  within  your  knowledge  that  may  be  of  importance 
to  such  inquiry," 

''It  is  of  great  interest  to  the  public  that  men  of  unblem- 
ished character  should  fill  the  public  offices,  and  of  no  less 
importance  to  the  nominee  that  an  opportunity  should  be 
afforded  him  to  vindicate  his  character  from  public 
charges,  which,  if  true  disqualify  him  from  holding 
office". 

I  have  made  no  specific  \_charges?^  against  him  save 
for  his  lying  speech  at  the  Convention  of  Sept.  last  in 
Phila.  but  I  have  stated  that  his  general  character  is  very 
detestable  in  this  State. 

Can  you  promptly  furnish  me  the  names  of  some  prom- 
inent men  in  your  County  who  will  sustain  me  in  this 
general  allegation  against  his  character  ? 

Poindexter  declines  to  accept  the  appointment  to  fill 
vacancy  occasioned  by  the  resignation  of  judge  Fowle.  I 
have  no  doubt  this  is  the  vacancy  Tourgee  seeks  to  fill. 

All  I  have  heard  of  the  man  has  led  to  regard  him 
with  positive  abhorrence. 

Yanceyville. 


To  Jesse  G.  Sliepherd. 

Raleigh  Jan.  7/68. 
Concerning  the  Poiudextcr  refuses  to  fill  vacancy  occasioned    bv    the 

appointment  of  a  ,  .  ./  ./ 

j'^dge.  resignation  of  Judge  Fowde. 

I   am  in  doubt  whether  it  is  expedient  for  me  to  re- 
assemble my  council  to  make  another  nomination, — From 


CoRRESPOJsDEXCE    OF    JoXATllAX    AVoKTH.  1117 

the  material  to  which  I  am  limited  1  know  no  one  I  can 
nominate  having  any  just  pretensions  to  be  made  a  judge. 
I  incline  to  the  opinion  that  I  ought  to  decline  to  act  and 
throw  the  whole  resj)onsibilitv  where  the  act  of  Congress 
places  it,  on  the  military  despot  who  is  appointed  to  rule 
us.  The  result  of  this  will  be  the  nomination  of  some 
mean  iSTorthern  adventurer.  I  have  cogent  reasons  to  be- 
lieve that  A.  H.  Tourgee,  the  very  meanest  of  this  class, 
is  applying  to  Genl.  Canby  for  the  appointment,  and  that 
the  General  w^ould  have  nominated  him  but  for  the  terms 
of  loathing  in  which  I  hav'e  lately  referred  to  him  in  an 
official  correspondence  with  Genl.  Canby  and  the  Prest. 
of  the  U.  S.  I  am  now  officially  called  upon  by  Genl. 
Canby  to  sustain  myself,  by  naming  the  persons  ivhom  I 
have  heard  speak  in  disparage nient  of  Tourgee.  He  says 
Tourgee  has  applied  and  would  have  been  appointed  to  till 
a  vacant  civil  office  in  IST.  C.  but  for  my  assault  on  his 
character  in  an  official  letter,  in  which  I  say  his  char- 
acter is  "detestable  in  this  State".  I  am  much  indisposed 
— forced  to  do  more  than  I  am  physicially  able  to  perform 
— cannot  go  further  into  details — With  all  the  lights  now 
before  you  do  you  think  I  should  again  assemble  my  coun- 
cil and  recommend  some  boy  or  superannuated  lawyer  for 
a  judge,  if  I  can  find  even  one  of  these  who  wall  take  the 
required  oaths  ?  or  should  I  say  to  Genl.  C,  that  I  decline 
again  to  call  the  council  together  because  I  can  hear  of 
no  one  having  any  just  pretensions  to  fitness  who  will  take 
the  oaths — and  that  I  therefore  decline  to  re-convene  the 
Council  and  leave  him  to  fill  the  vacancy  without  any  rec- 
ommendation on  our  part  ? 
Fayetteville. 


1118 


jSTorth  Cakolina  Historical  Commission. 


Concerning  the 
appointment  of  a 

judge. 


To  Henry  Joyncv. 

Ealeigii,  Jan.  Itli  ISfJS. 

I  iiuuk'  diligent  inquiry  before  the  last  meeting  of  the 
Council  to  get  the  name  of  some  respectable  lawyer,  old 
or  yonng,  Avbo  would  consent  to  take  the  oaths  and  fill 
the  vacancy  occasioned  by  the  resignation  of  Judge  Fowle. 
AVe  nominated  Genl.  Poindexter  in  the  hope  that  he  would 
accept.  He  was  strongly  recommended  by  prominent  law- 
yers in  his  neighborhood.  I  had  written  immediately  on 
receipt  of  his  recommendation  to  ascertain  whether  he 
would  accept  and  got  no  answer.  I  reed  a  letter  from  him 
yesterday  declining  to  accept.  If  we  make  no  recommen- 
dation, some  mean  Yankee  adventurer  who  has  come  among 
us  to  traduce  us  and  get  office,  will  probably  be  appointed. 
If  we  recommend  we  can  recommend  no  one  at  all  fit  to  be 
a  judge,  who  will  take  the  oaths.  Under  all  the  circum- 
stances do  you  think  I  should  again  assemble  the  Council^ — - 
or  should  I  say  to  Genl  Canby,  limited  as  we  are,  that  we 
decline  to  recommend  an  unfit  man,  and  let  him  designate 
a  successor  for  Judge  Fowle  ? 

I  have  reason  to  believe  that  one  Tourgee,  who  claims  to 
have  been  a  Capt.  in  the  U.  S.  army  and  who  settled  in 
Guilford,  after  the  war,  and  whom  I  regard  as  the  very 
meanest  of  this  class  who  has  settled  among  us,  seeks  the 
ofiice,  and  is  a  man  who  exactly  fills  Genl.  Canby's  no- 
tion of  fitness  for  the  position.  I  write  to  each  councilor 
for  his  advice  whether  I  ought  again  to  convene  the  Coun- 
cil.    What  is  your  opinion  ? 

Halifax^  C.  H. 


To   GUcs  Mehane. 

Raleigh  Jan.  7  1868. 
Concerning  tiie  Gcul.   Poindexter  notified  me  vesterday  that  he  could 

appointment  of  a  "  >' 

j^^s*^-  not  take  the  teste  oath,  consequently  declining  to  fill  the 

vacancy  occasioned  by  the  resignation  of  Judge  Fowle. 


CoKRESPOSTDE^sCE    OF    JONATHAN    WoKTll.  1119 

Geiil.  Canby  wrote  me,  asking  that  I  convene  the  Coun- 
cil and  recommend  to  him  for  appointment  as  successor  to 
Judge  Fowle.  After  diligent  inquiry  1  can  hear  of  no 
lawyer  in  the  State,  having  respectable  pretensions  to  fit- 
ness, whom  I  can  reconnnend.  If  we  rtcommend  nobody 
some  one  of  the  meanest  Yankee  adventurers,  who  has 
settled  among  us  will  probably  be  appointed.  We  can- 
not recommend,  so  far  as  I  know,  any  lit  man  who  will 
take  the  oaths.  I  ask  to-day  the  opinion  of  each  of  the 
Councilors,  whether  it  is  expedient  that  I  re-convene  the 
Council  for  this  purjjose — or  shall  I  say  that,  limited  as 
we  are  to  the  range  of  selection,  we  respectfully  decline  to 
act  further  on  the  matter  ? 

I  have  strong  reason  to  believe  that  Tourgee  has  ap- 
plied for  the  appointment — that  he  is  a  man  who  (\Kaclly 
fills  Genl.  Canby's  ideas  of  fitness  for  the  position :  and 
that  the  General's  action  is  suspended  upon  the  result  of 
an  inquiry  into  the  truthfulness  of  an  official  allegation  of 
mine  to  Gen.  Canby,  made  in  the  case  of  Griffin — that 
Tourgee  is  a  man  of  most  "detestable  character"  in  this 
State.  I  am  officially  called  upon  by  Genl.  Canby  to  fur- 
nish him  the  names  of  the  persons  whom  I  have  heard 
speak  ill  of  Tourgee — and  their  several  post-offices.  If  I 
shall  furnish  a  few,  as  I  can,  how  many  of  them  will 
shirk  or  buck  out  from  apprehension  of  oppression  ?  thus 
leaving  me  with  the  bag  to  hold.  If  I  fail  to  furnish  any 
Tourgee  is  triumphant — and  where  am  I.  I  take  a  day  or 
two  to  arm  myself  for  the  onslaught.  If  everything  else 
fail  me  I  shall  at  all  events  be  shielded  by  the  conscious- 
ness of  right. 

Please  answer  promptly. 


1120 


Xoirni  Carolina  Historical  Commission. 


Concerning  the 
appointment  of  a 
judge. 


To  E.  A.  Jones. 

Rai^eigh  Jan  7th  ISOS. 

Poindexter  by  letter  which  reached  me  yesterday  says 
that  he  cannot  accept  the  office  of  judge,  for  the  reason, 
among  others,  that  he  can't  take  the  iron-clad  oath. 

If  I  re-assemble  my  Council,  with  present  lights,  I 
cannot  recommend  any  body  having  any  just  pretensions 
to  till  the  place.  If  we  recommend  any  body,  it  must  be 
some  one  manifestly  unfit.  Will  it  not  be  better  to  throw 
the  entire  responsibility  on  the  military  comt  ?  If  we 
recommend  any  body  it  must  be  a  super-annuated  lawyer 
or  some  boy  who  has  not  tarried  long  enough  in  Jericho 
for  his  beard  to  grow. 

I  have  good  reason  to  believe  that  Tourgee,  the  meanest 
Yankee  who  has  ever  settled  among  us,  has  applied  to 
Genl.  Canby  for  the  appointment,  and  that  he  would  al- 
ready have  been  a^Dpointed  but  for  the  fact  that  I  recently 
said  of  him,  in  a  letter  to  Genl  Canby,  that  he  is  a  man  of 
most  "detestable  character."  This  is  made  the  occasion,  in 
effect,  of  an  attack  on  me.  Genl.  Canby  calls  on  me  to  de- 
fend my  assertion  by  naming  the  persons  and  address  of 
any  person  whom  I  have  heard  speak  in  disparagement  of 
Captain  Tourgee.  There  is  great  congeniality  of  temper 
and  sentiment  between  the  General  and  Tourgee.  I  am 
thrown  on  the  defensive.  Matters  must  soon  culminate  in 
my  removal  or  his. 

Please  favor  me  with  your  opinion  as  promptly  as  pos- 
sible, whether  I  re-assemble  the  Council  of  State. 

Patterson. 


Canby's  course  as 
military  governor. 


To  B.  S.  Hedrick. 

Raleigh  Jan.  8/68. 
The  course  of  Genl.  Canby  has  shown  in  his  government 
of  this  State,  that  he  despised  the  axiom  that  the  Governor 


I 


Correspondence  of  JoNxVthan  Worth,  1121 

should  have  respect  to  the  will  of  the  governed,  liv  has 
not  put  his  foot  on  our  soil.  He  has  not  communicated 
to  me,  as  Governor  of  iST.  C.  elected  by  the  choice  of  her 
peoj^le,  without  electioneering  on  my  part,  any  of  his 
contemplated  changes  in  our  code : — in  his  numerous  re- 
movals of  civil  officers  the  first  notice  I  have  had  has  been 
his  bulletin  of  removal.  He  has  not  consulted  me  in  a 
single  instance  as  to  the  fitness  or  respectability  of  his 
new  appointees.  This  contempt  of  the  popular  will  could 
not  have  sprung  from  any  apprehensions  of  my  loyalty, 
in  the  just  sense  of  the  much  abused  word.  As  our  ruler 
he  was  bound  to  have  made  himself  acquainted  with  my 
antecedents,  personal  and  political.  He  could  have  found 
nothing  in  them  to  warrant  the  contempt  exhibited  by  all 
his  official  acts. 

ISTo  man  having  any  pretensions  to  be  regarded  as  a 
gentleman,  whether  citizen  or  army  officer  stationed  among 
us,  has  ever  presumed  to  impute  to  our  judges  want  of 
personal  character,  legal  learning  or  impartiality  in  the 
administration  of  Justice. 

After  a  series  of  acts  exhibiting  a  total  disregard  of  our 
laws  and  of  our  Courts,  against  which  I  had  remonstrated 
in  vain,  I  learned  some  weeks  ago,  that  he  had  caused  the 
arrest  of  the  Sheriff  of  Caswell,  one  of  the  best  men  in 
the  State, — a  Union  man — and  consequently  not  a  Radi- 
cal,— upon  the  evidence  of  a  convicted  felon,  one  Wm. 
Johnson,  (w^hom  I  had  been  induced  to  pardon  by  the 
false  compassions  of  our  people  and  the  importunities  of 
the  military  power  appointed  to  rule  us)  and  upon  the 
evidence  of  A.  II.  Touir/re,  a  disbanded  CUiptain  of  [^1  Une 
is  missing  liere~\  as  Genl.  Canby  says, — T  say.  oil  this  evi- 
dence, as  I  was  informed,  the  SliflF.  of  CaswelL  a  County  on 
the  Northern  boundary  of  jST.  C.  w^as  seized  under  the  or- 
ders of  Genl.  Canby,  without  preliminary  trial  and  trans- 
ported for  trial  before  a  Court  martial  in  Charleston  for  an 
alleged  offence  of  which  our  Courts  have  cognizance. 
Worn  out  by  the  contem]it  uniformly^  exhibited  by  Genl. 
Vol.  2—30 


1122  North  Carolina  Historical  Commission. 

Caiibj,  towards  the  judiciary  of  the  State,  1  addressed  a 
letter  to  the  President  in  which  I  characterise  these  in- 
formers as  most  "detestable  men"  to  the  people  of  this 
State.  The  President  referred  my  letter  to  Genl.  Grant 
who  referred  it  to  Genl.  Canby.  Genl.  Canby  makes  a 
voluminous  reply  to  Genl.  Grant,  a  partial  copy  of  which 
he  sends  to  me,  imiDugTiing  the  integrity  of  the  legislative 
and  judicial  authorities  of  the  State — and  says  my  ac- 
count of  the  character  of  Tourgee  "is  not  accepted" :  as- 
signing as  a  reason  why  it  was  not  "accented"  that  Tour- 
gee  was  \_A  line  is  missing  here] . 

I  have  just  reed  from  Genl.  Canby  a  letter  in  which  he 
says 

"A.  H.  Tourgee  has  been  nominated  to  fill  a  vacancy 
in  civil  office  in  N.  C. :  and  would  have  reed  immediate 
appointment  but  for  the  charges  affecting  his  moral  char- 
acter made  against  him  by  you  in  an  official  communica- 
tion of  IsTov.  30th  1867. 

With  a  view  to  the  investigation  of  such  charges  I  de- 
sire you  to  furnish  me  with  the  names  and  addresses  of 
all  parties  from  whom  you  derived  the  information  upon 
which  your  charge  was  based :  and  also  a  statement  of 
any  matters  within  your  knowledge  that  may  be  of  im- 
portance to  such  inquiry. 

It  is  of  great  interest  to  the  public  that  men  of  unblem- 
ished character  should  fill  the  public  offices — and  of  no 
less  importance  to  the  nominee  that  an  opportunity  should 
be  afforded  him  to  vindicate  his  character  from  public 
charges,  which,  if  true,  disqualifies  him  from  holding 
office." 

The  following  is  what  I  wrote  to  the  Genl.  on  the  30th 
ISTov.  touching  Tourgee. 

"As  to  my  allegation  that  Tourgee  and  Johnson  were 
men  of  bad  character,  I  can  only  say  that  I  have  heard 
many  men,  some  of  them  TTnited  States'  officers  of  esti- 
mable character,  and  I  have  never  heard  any  one  speak  well 
of  them.  I  believe  the  character  of  each  of  them,  in  this 
State,  to  be  very  bad  among  virtuous  men". 


Correspondence  of  Jonathan  Worth.  1123 

Xow  Genl.  C.  knows  that  I  could  not  give  tlie  names 
and  addresses  of  all  whom  I  had  heard  thus  speak.  I  can 
give  many  of  them — Among  the  U.  S.  officers  I  can  name 
are  11.  H.  Helper,  Jesse  Wheeler,  Hiram  Worth  and  your- 
self. 

I  have  iio  doubt  that  Genl.  Canby,  through  representa- 
tions by  Tourgee,  and  such  as  he,  intends  to  find  a  pre- 
text for  my  early  removal — and  the  filling  of  my  place 
with  an  ultra  Radical.  I  shall  feel  no  personal  grief  at 
such  removal — ^but  I  owe  it  to  the  people  of  ISTorth  Caro- 
lina to  frustrate  this  design  by  all  legitimate  means. 

I  have  been  confined  to  my  fireside  by  indisposition  since 
my  return  from  Washington:  have  been  slowly  improv- 
ing: am  now  nearly  well  but  it  would  be  the  extreme  of 
imprudence  for  me  to  go  to  Washington  to  ask  of  the  Presi- 
dent the  protection  of  which  he  may  deem  me  deserving 
so  far  as  he  may  be  able  and  willing  to  protect  me. 

I  have  no  doubt  the  vacant  office  Tourgee  seeks  to  fill 
is  the  judgeship  made  vacant  by  the  resigTiation  of  Fowle 
on  account  of  his  conscientious  unwillingness  to  obey  mil- 
itary edicts  in  conflict  with  our  laws. 

Kow  you  know  the  utter  disgust  all  the  respectable  peo- 
ple of  this  State  v/ould  feel  at  putting  on  our  bench  of 
judges  such  a  wretch  as  Tourgee  who  stinks  in  the  nostrils 
of  all  men  of  honor. 

N'ow  my  purpose  is  to  ask  you  to  see  the  President — 
make  known  to  him  the  contents  of  this  letter — and  if  he 
desire  it,  to  put  it  in  his  possession  to  be  used  as  he  may 
think  proper — and  to  tell  him  what  you  know  as  to  the 
standing  of  Tourgee  in  IST.  C. 

It  can  scarcely  be  that  one  whose  whole  course  here  has 
exhibited  such  malignant  baseness,  can  have  a  good  charac- 
ter wherever  he  comes.  Can  you  not  find  some  agency  by 
which  I  can  be  correctly  informed  of  Tourgee's  standing  in 
the  neighborhood  whence  he  came  ? 

Washington,  D.  C. 


1124  aSToRTii  Carolina  Historical  Commission. 

To  (Icneral  Canhy. 

Raleigh  Jan.  0/G8. 
In  opposition  to  Youi's  of  tbc  -itli  iiist.  is  bcforc  me  in  which  you  sav 

tlir  ai>|)oiiitmeiit  ^  .  "  ."^ 

oiA.  w.  Tourgoc     "A.  W.  Toure'ee  has  been  nominated  to  fill  a  vacancy  in 

as  a  jiul.yc.  .     .  -  . 

Civil  office  in  JSTorth  Carolina,  and  wonld  have  reed  im- 
mediate appointment  but  for  the  charges  affecting  his 
moral  character  made  against  him  by  von  in  your  official 
coinmnnication  of  ISTov.  30  1867. 

With  a  view  to  the  investigation  of  such  charges  I  de- 
sire you  to  furnish  me  with  the  names  and  addresses  of 
all  parties  from  whom  you  derived  the  information  upon 
which  your  charge  is  based — and  also  a  statement  of  any 
matters  within  your  knowledge  that  may  be  of  importance 
to  such  inquiry." 

I  regard  this  as  a  most  extraordinary    request.       The 
character  of  General  Washington  is  very  good — that   of 
Genl  Arnold  very  bad.     I  am  sure  of  this ;  and  yet  I  not 
only  could  not  give  the  names  and  addresses  of  all  I  have 
heard  say  so,  but  I  am  not  sure  I  could  give  the  name  and 
address  of  one  of  them.   I  happen  in  this  case  to  remember 
a  few.     I  name  B.  S.  ITedrick,  holding  a  prominent  posi- 
tion in  the  IT.  S.  Patent  Office,  Washington,  D.  C,  H.  II. 
Helper,  LT.  S.  Assessor,  Salisbury,  jST.  C. 
Jesse  Wheeler,  U.  S.  Assessor,  Greensboro,  iST.  C. 
Hiram   Worth,    U.    S.    Comr. 
Hon,  J.  Ft.  McLean,  "  " 

Hon.  J.  A.  Gilmer,  "  " 

Hon.  Jno.  Kerr,  Yanceyville,  X.  C. 

In  addition  to  the  above  gentlemen  who  I  can  rememlier 
to  have  heard  speak  in  strong  terms  of  disparagement  of 
Tourgee,  I  have  been  informed  and  believe  that  the  fol- 
lowing gentlemen  know  his  character  well  and  that  they 
will  fully  confirm  what  I  have  said  of  him. 


COKRESPO^^DKXCE    OF    JoA^ATIIAN    WoKTJI.  1125 

Tbos  B.  Keogh,  Eegister  in  Bankruptcy,  Greensboro,  X.  C. 

Jno.  Crane,  Collector  Int.  Revenue 

Ealph  Gorrell,  "  " 

Jesse  H.  Lindsay,  "  " 

Jed.  H.  Lindsay,  "  " 

Jas.  Sloan,  ''  " 

W.  L.  Scott, 

Levi  M.  Scott,  "  " 

David  F.  Caldwell,  "  " 

Hon.  Jas.  T.  Morehead,  "  " 

Xathan  Hiatt,  "  " 

Jonathan  Cox,  " 

Jonathan  Harris,  "  " 

Cyrus  P.  Mendenhall,  '      " 

Eobt.  P.  Dick, 

Xereus  Mendenhall,  "  " 

Hon.  Bedford  Brown,  Yanceyville,  " 

Samuel  P.  Hill,  ^" 

T\^ni.  Long,  ''  " 

Thos.  Trotter, 

Hon.  Jas.  M.  Leach,  Lexington,  " 

D.  H.  Starbuck,  IT.  S.  District  Atto.,  Salem,  " 

Thos.  J.  AYilson,  Winston,  ^' 

I  also  refer  you  to  the  record  of  certain  suits  in  Guil- 
ford County  Court,  at  Feb.  Term,  1867,  or  about  that 
lime.,  Cyrus  P.  IMendenhall  vs.  Tourgee  and  certain  Ca. 
Ba.  cases  in  which  freedmen  were  plaintiffs  and  Tour- 
gee  was  defendant.  I  have  not  the  names  of  the  plaintiffs. 
The  Clerk  of  the  County  Court  of  Guilford  can  if  you 
T\'ish  them. 

llajor  Worth,  8th  U.  S.  Infantry,  Raleigh,  X.  C. 

A.  B.  Chapin,  Surgeon  of  U.  S.,  ''  '' 

Thos.  Burly,  freedman,  Greensboro,  X.  C. 

You  do  not  indicate  to  what  vacant  civil  oliice  Tourgee 
would  have  been  immediately  appointed  but  for  my 
charges  against  him ;  and  therefore  I  am  not  called  upon 
to  speak  of  his  fitness,  in  other  respects  than  moral  char- 


112G  XoRTii  Carolina  Historical  Commission. 

acter,  to  fill  sucli  office.  I  hear,  from  sources  to  whicli 
I  give  credit,  that  he  seeks  to  be  placed  by  yr.  appoiiitmcnt, 
on  the  bench  of  judges  of  our  Supr.  Courts  of  law,  to  fill 
the  vacancy  occasioned  by  the  resignation  of  Judge  Fowle. 
I  think  he  has  neither  practised  law  nor  obtained  a  license 
to  practise  in  this  State.  As  your  communication  does 
not  ask  for  any  information  as  to  his  fitness,  and  as  you 
have  not  hitherto  deemed  it  expedient  to  ask  my  views  as 
to  the  suitableness  of  any  one  of  your  numerous  appointees 
to  civil  office  in  this  State,  I  am  not  unconscious  that  any 
suggestion  from  me  in  this  direction  may  be  deemed  ob- 
trusive : — but  duty  to  those  who  placed  me  in  the  position 
I  occupy  constrains  me  to  say,  that  I  entertain  no  doubt 
that  few  men  can  be  found,  mentally  and  morally  less  un- 
fit to  fill  such  a  position.  In  fact  if  I  were  called  upon  to 
name  one  for  judge  particularly  unfit  for  the  position  and 
disgusting  to  the  bar  and  virtuous  intelligence  of  the  State 
I  should  regard  the  name  of  A.  W.  Tourgee  as  most  fit. 

You  ask  me  for  a  statement  of  any  matters  within  my 
knowledge  that  may  be  of  importance  to  the  inquiry. 

I  do  not  know  Tourgee  personally — but  I  know  he  was 
appointed  at  a  rural  meeting  in  Guilford,  a  delegate  to  the 
political  Convention  held  in  Phila  in  Sept  1866.  He 
had  settled  in  that  County  soon  after  the  close  of  the  war, 
having  been,  he  said,  a  Capt.  in  a  company  of  Ohio  Vols. 
He  was  reported  in  the  K".  Y.  Herald  as  having  made  a 
speech  in  that  Convention  to  enlighten  the  Korth  as  to  the 
character  and  temper  of  the  people  among  whom  he  had 
settled.     I  quote  from  that  speech  as  follows — 

Speaking  of  "loyal  men  who  have  worn  the  blue  uni- 
forms," he  said,  "I  come  here  to  say  that  selling  every 
thing  they  had  at  a  nominal  value,  twelve  hundred  of  these 
loyal  men  have  been  driven  from  the  State.  I  know  hun- 
dred of  these  lo^yal  men  who  Avere  threatened  with  death 
if  they  wore  the  blue,  and  they  are  now  wearing  the  gray." 
and  "I  was  told  by  a  Quaker  in  ISTorth  Carolina  as  I  was 
coming  here  that  he  had  seen  the  bodies  of  fifteen  mur- 


Correspondence  of  Jonathan  Worth.  112' 

dered  negroes  taken  from  a  pond.  Seven  hundred  loyal 
men  had  petitioned  President  Johnson  for  redress  from 
the  rebel  depredations,  and  the  petition  was  referred  back 
to  the  disloyal  Governor  of  that  State  and  came  back  to 
the  authorities  of  their  own  to\vn." 

I  believe,  and  the  respectable  people  of  the  State  believe 
every  statement  in  the  foregoing  quotation,  was  a  ma- 
licious falsehood,  made  to  engender  and  inflame  the  ani- 
mosity of  the  IsTorthern  people  against  us:  and  I  know  the 
last  statement  was  false.  The  President  had  referred  but 
two  petitions  to  me : — the  one  from  some  forty  men  in 
Camden  County — representing  that  they  had  been  Union 
soldiers ;  and  that  they  were  cruelly  persecuted  by  indict- 
ments in  the  Courts  of  their  County  for  acts  done  as  Union 
soldiers.  I  requested  D.  D.  Ferebee  of  Camden,  then  a 
member  of  the  State  Convention,  and  Hon.  Geo.  W. 
Brooks,  judge  of  the  District  Court  of  the  U.  S.,  and  also 
a  member  of  the  State  Convention,  residing  in  the  neigh- 
borhood of  the  petitioners,  to  investigate  their  allegations. 
They  reported  that  they  had  examined  the  records  of  the 
Court,  and  that  there  were  only  two  indictments  against 
any  one  of  them — the  one  for  retaUing  liquor  without  a 
license;  the  other  for  Fornication  and  Adultery. 

The  other  was  a  petition  from  Clay  County,  imputing 
oppression  to  one  of  the  Courts  in  a  prosecution  for  an 
offence  of  which  one  had  been  found  guilty,  which  proved 
to  be  an  equally  groundless  complaint,  as  all  like  com- 
plaints honestly  investigated  will  turn  out  to  be.  The 
Secty  of  State  though  proper  to  write  me  a  note  comple- 
menting me  for  the  manifest  fairness  with  which  these  in- 
quiries were  conducted. 

Charleston^  S.  C. 


J.  128  XoRTH  Carolina  Histokicai.   Commission. 

To  Dr.  G.  D.  Pouhon. 

Ealeigji,  Jan.  10,  1868. 

Of  the  wreck  of  my  estate  which  the  late  unfortunate 
M-ar  left  me,  a  considerable  part  is  invested  in  our  co-part- 
nershi}) — but  the  harassing  cares  of  my  public  position 
leave  ine  no  time  to  devote  to  my  personal  concerns.  I 
hear  from  ]Mr.  AViley  and  Mr.  Coffin  very  favorable  ac- 
counts as  to  your  management  and  success — but  more  fre- 
quent letters  from  you  touching  the  matter  would  be  more 
acceptable.  The  absence  of  such  letters  makes  me  feel 
uneasiness.  Did  you  get  the  spts  turp.  you  asked  me  to 
have  sent  you  ?  I  took  measures  to  have  it  sent.  How 
turns  out  your  purchase  of  the  Aurora  gas  light  ?  Have 
you  found  the  note  we  gave  for  a  balance  on  this  pur- 
chase ?  What  have  been  your  monthly  sales  anything  else 
tending  to  show  the  good  or  ill  success  of  our  enterprise. 
I  think  you  should  keep  me  more  fully  informed  as  to 
our  business. 

Salisbury. 


To  W.  A.  Graham. 

Ealeigii,  Jan.  10,  ISGS. 

Military  govern-  The   freoueut    and     wantonly   absurd   orders   of    Genl. 

ment.  ^ 

Canby  are  greatly  multiplying  my  cares  and  perplexities, 
and  are  likely,  as  I  believe,  to  culminate  in  an  order  for 
my  removal. 

Major  Bagley  informed  me  that  he  learned  from  you  on 
the  cars  yesterday,  that  you  would  be  several  days  in 
Washington,  and  that  a  letter  from  me  to  you,  to  care  of 
Hon.  Reverdy  Johnson  would  reach  you.  I  Avas  much 
gratified  to  learn  this.  I  have  been  much  indisposed 
lately — am  now  nearly  well,  I  believe,  but  am  required  by 
my  physician  to  remain  at  my  fireside  for  some  days  yet. 
I  am  unable  to  go  to  Washington  however  great  the  emer- 
cencv. 


CORBESPONDENCE    OF    JONATHAN    WoKTJI.  1129 

I  desire  to  have  your  opinion  in  the  event  of  an  order 
for  my  removal,  (whether  coming  from  Canby  or  the 
Convention),  whether  I  eaimot,  by  refusal  to  ol)ey  the 
mandate,  or  surrendering  the  office  on  the  ground  of  mili- 
tary duress,  b}^  Writ  of  Habeas  Corpus, — or  a  AVrit  of 
Mandamus,  have  the  validity  of  such  act  of  removal  tested 
before  the  Supreme  Court  of  the  U.  S. — And  if  y<»u  think 
this  feasible  and  expedient,  exact  instructions  as  to  the 
proper  course  for  me  to  pursue:  to  what  judge  should  I 
in  the  lirst  instance  apply  ?  I  would  like  to  have  you,  if 
you  deem  it  expedient,  get  the  views  of  Reverdy  Johnston 
or  any  other  constitutional  lawyer  you  prefer.  I  am  will- 
ing to  pay  a  suitable  fee  to  you  or  him  or  both.  Under  an 
act  of  the  last  Genl.  Assendjly  I  am  authorised,  when  I 
deem  it  necessary,  to  employ  counsel  in  any  case  effecting 
the  rights  of  the  State,  and  to  pay  by  drft  on  the  Pub.  Tr. 
As  I  could  not  so  draw  after  removal  it  would  be  best  to 
draw  in  anticipation :  and  if  nothing  should  be  done ; — if 
the  removal  should  not  be  attempted  to  refund  it. 

When  I  saw  the  Prest.  about  a  month  ago  and  gave  him 
a  narrative  of  Canby's  action  in  the  Spears  case  from  Bun- 
combe; his  orders  touching  juries;  his  Provost  Court  in 
Payetteville ;  his  numerous  removals  of  civil  officers ;  as- 
sigTiing  no  reasons  for  such  removals,  and  not  in  a  single 
instance  consulting  with  me  as  to  the  fitness  of  successors 
appointed  by  him; — the  wanton  detail  in  prison  and  trial 
of  Mr.  McRae — ^the  seizing  of  Griffith  and  carrying  him 
to  Charleston  and  his  trial  before  a  Court  martial  upon  the 
evidence  of  the  two  villians  Tourgee  and  Johnson ; — and 
the  virtual  discharge  of  the  Granville  negro,  convicted  of 
a  wanton  rape  upon  a  woman  of  good  character  by  him- 
self and  another  negro — first  one  and  then  the  other,  in 
the  presence  of  her  little  daughter,  old  enough  to  be  a 
witness — and  the  verdict  confirmed  by  a  Court  martial, 
the  villain  Avery,  being  Judge  Advocate,  and  the  case  of 
the  removal  of  the  Shff.  of  Jones  and  the  swearing  in  of 
the  insolvent  Yankees,  without  a  bond  worth  a  straw — the 


1130  XoKTM  Carolina  Histokical  Commission. 

Prest.  exhibited  disgust  and  iudiguation.  Pie  expressed 
astonishment  that  these  things  had  not  been  published.  I 
explained  to  him  that  the  most  of  the  facts  could  only  be 
reached  through  my  official  correspondence  with  Sickles 
and  Canby,  and  that  I  did  not  doubt  that  the  publication 
would  be  followed  by  my  immediate  removal.  He  re- 
quested me  to  remain  a  day  or  two  and  to  see  him  again. 
At  the  next  interview  he  said  the  pnblication  of  the  facts 
I  had  disclosed  would  have  much  influence  on  the  public 
mind  I^Torth,  now  awakening  to  a  sense  of  right.  He  re- 
qnested  me  to  come  home  and  give  him  in  writing  the  nar- 
'  rative  I  had  made  to  him :  and  that  he  would  have  it  pub- 
lished— and  that  if  Canby  removed  me  he  would  remove 
him.  I  prepared  it  as  soon  as  I  could,  being  sick  all  the 
time.  It  took  much  labor  to  make  it  full  and  clear — and 
much  copying  of  extracts  to  sustain  its  facts.  It  was  sent 
him  10  days  ago — and  to  prevent  its  falling  into  Grant's 
hands — as  my  letter  to  the  Prest.  had,  touching  the  arrest 
of  Griffith,  I  sent  it  to  Col.  W.  G.  Moore  the  President's 
private  Secty.  He  was  out  of  the  City  and  only  got  it 
last  Sunday. 

I  still  thought  and  so  wrote  the  Prest,  that  Canby  ought 
to  be  removed,  and  then  the  publication  made ;  because  if 
he  removed  me,  though  the  Prest.  would  immediately  re- 
move Canby  and  give  us  a  sensible  commt.,  such  comt. 
could  not  re-instate  me,  becanse  I  could  not  take  the  teste 
oath.  I  doubt  whether  the  Prest.,  in  the  midst  of  grave 
cares,  will  not  be  deterred  from  reading  it.  There  are 
some  30  pages  of  it  and  the  extracts  besides.  If  you  have 
leisure  I  wish  you  would  get  it  and  read  it  and  then  confer 
with  the  Prest.  abont  it. 

I  would  not  have  you  or  he  think  that  I  have  great  per- 
sonal solicitude  as  to  my  removal — but  I  dread  public  cen- 
sure if  a  Radical  fire-eating  Govr.  be  appointed  in  conse- 
quence of  any  supposed  imprudence  on  my  part.  I  am 
perfectly  willing,  if  you  and  the  Prest,  think  it  expedient, 
that  the  publication  should  be  made,  to  retire  from  my 


I 


COKRESPONDENCE    OF    JONATHAN    WoRTII,  1131 

harrassing  position  if  you  think  the  public  good  require  it. 
I  inclose  you  a  copy  of  a  letter  from  Canby  and  my 
reply,  touching  Tourgee.  It  will  serve  to  show  you  what 
a  fool  Canby  is — as  well  as  his  animus  towards  nie  and 
the  people  of  ]^.  C. 

P.  S.  I  regard  it  as  positively  necessary  that  you,  to 
whom  ^.  C.  looks  more  than  to  any  other  man,  as  a  guide, 
should  read  this  narrative  made  by  me  to  the  chief  mag- 
istrate of  the  State.  You  will  find  Col.  Moore,  to  be  an 
urbane  gentlemanly  man,  as  all  men  are,  who  like  himself 
belonged  to  the  old  constitutional  Union  Clay  party. 

If  that  narrative  shall  be  deemed  unduly  prolix  (I 
do  not  think  it  w^as  capable  of  much  more  condensation)  it 
will  be  remembered  it  was  made  out  when  I  was  sick  and 
continually  interrupted  by  the  harrassing  cares  of  my  of- 
fice in  car  present  anomalous  condition. 

Washington,  D.  C. 


To  J.  B.  Whital-er. 

Kaleigh.  Jan.  12th  IS 68. 

Personal. 

I  see  in  yr.  paper  of  yesterday  Genl.  Canby's  special  state  i^oiice  force, 
order  ISTo,  1  dated  Jan.  2/68. 

The  striking  point  of  this  order  is  the  organization  of 
our  armed  police  forces  in  which  negroes  are  to  be  the 
more  numerous  element.  White  and  black  to  work  to- 
gether. 

An  article  appeared  in  the  Sentinel  immediately  after 
the  publication  of  this  order,  giving  a  sketch  of  the  four 
Shffs.  w^ho  are  to  organize  and  employ  this  force.  I  have 
not  observed  that  you  have  re-published  any  part  of  this 
Sentinel  article.  As  I  presume  you  have  an  important 
circulation  in  the  fonr  counties  which  this  order  aifeets — • 
as  has  the  ISTewbern  Commercial  which  has  neither  com- 
mented on  the  Sentinel,  nor  made  editorial  save  to  praise 


1132  North  Carolina  Historical  Commission. 

the  successor  of  Harper.      I  infer  that  yovi  do  not  concur 
in  the  facts  or  the  reasoning  of  the  Sentinel. 

The  Xorth  has  not  required  negroes  and  white  men  to 
act  together  in  the  same  companies.  I  have  been  sur- 
prised at  the  publication  of  this  order  without  editorial 
coninicnt  on  the  remarks  of  the  Sentinel.  Have  you  re- 
frained because  you  have  doubts  as  to  the  accuracy  of  the 
facts  stated  in  reference  to  the  removal  of  the  old  Shif  in 
Jones,  which  are  astonishing  and  interesting  to  the  whole 
country  ?  This  Editorial  in  the  Sentinel  has  attracted 
much  attention  in  other  parts  of  the  State.  The  AYil- 
ming'ton  Journal  has  republished  all  of  it — or  nearly  all 
of  it.  AVhy  have  the  two  Journals  near  the  scene,  neg- 
lected to  publish  these  articles  ?  Are  the  facts  inaccu- 
rately stated  ?  The  case  of  the  appt.  of  Colgrove  without 
bond  or  security  to  fill  Wilson's  place,  with  powers  to  col- 
lect arrearages  of  tax  due  Wilson,  is  the  climax  of  ab- 
surdity and  mean  oppression.  If  the  facts  stated  are 
incorrectly  set  forth,  a  true  version  should  be  given.  I 
write  this  simply  to  call  your  attention  to  the  matter. 

GOLDSBORO. 


To  ^y.  T.  FalrcJoth. 

Raleigh,  Jcdl  13/68. 
Will  you  give  me  yr.  views  on  inclosed  petition  i  Upon 
the  ex-j^arte  representation  of  the  petitioner,  I  incline  to 
shorten  his  imprisonment  and  let  him  go  home  and  provide 
board  for  his  numerous  family — but  shall  refer  to  your 
judgment — you  knowing  all  the  circumstances  which 
should  control  my  action.  I  would  consult  the  judge  if  I 
knew  where  to  address  him. 

GoLDSBORO. 


Correspondence  of  Jonathan  Worth,  1133 

To  Calv'm  II.  Wiley. 

Raleigh,  Jfui.  lJf./08. 
Protracted  illness  and  the  pressure  of  duties  of  the  ut- ?*'«  of  the  swamp 

^  lands. 

most  gravity,  have  entirely  overtaxed  my  powers  for  the 
last  month. 

I  regret  to  say  that  among  the  things  postponed  is  yr. 
communication  and  acct.  neither  of  which  has  been  ex- 
amined. 

My  health  is  gradually  improving  but  I  am  still  much 
indisposed. 

You  will  remember  with  how  much  reluctance  I  aj)- 
proved  the  acct  of  expenses  of  Comrs.  to  X.  Y.  touching 
our  Swamp  lands,  which  I  regarded  as  very  extravagant. 
They  amounted  to  more  than  $900.  From  resj^ect  to  the 
feelings  of  the  members  of  the  board,  I  concluded  to  ap- 
prove it,  with  misgivings  as  to  the  propriety  of  such  ap- 
proval. The  acct  exhibited,  drawn  up  by  Genl.  Gwynn, 
purported  to  cover  all  the  expenses  of  the  commission. 
Your  part  of  the  bill,  as  I  remember  it,  exceeds  $400.  To 
my  great  amazement.  ]\[r.  Best  now  exhiliits  a  further 
account  exceeding  $200.  including  more  money  for  parlor 
rent.  I  am  not  less  annoyed  than  pained  at  this  account 
and  the  responsibilities  which  the  extravagance  of  the 
whole  bill  devolves  on  me.  I  have  deferred  action  on  Mr. 
Best's  claims  until  I  see  a  specification  of  the  items  mak- 
ing up  the  amount  paid  to  you  and  Genl  Gwynn.  It  dis- 
tresses me  to  feel  constrained  to  ask  for  such  items — but 
I  have  been  employed  on  more  commissions  than  one  since 
our  troubles  commenced,  quite  as  dignified  and  which  did 
not  approach  in  expenditure  the  expenses  of  your  com- 
mission. 

I  hope  it  may  be  convenient  to  you  to  be  here  at  some 
early  day,  four  continuance  in  authority  is  likely  to  be 
short)  in  order  to  confer  with  you  and  ^Iv.  Tlusted  to  ]Uit 
these  matters  in  shape  to  enable  me  to  justify  myself  be- 


1134  COKRESPONDENCE    OF    JoNATKAN    WoRTH. 

fore  the  public  for  the  warrants  T  lia^'e  issued  and  am  re- 
quired to  issue  on  the  school  fund. 
Gree^'sboro. 


To  Riclimond  M.  Pearson. 

Jan.  15,  1868. 

I  am  feeling  comparatively  Avell  to-day — but  my  physi- 
cian has  positively  enjoined  it  on  me  not  to  leave  my  fire- 
side for  some  days. 

Besides  the  matter  of  appointing  a  Librarian,  in  which 
I  am  not  anxious  to  participate,  there  are  other  matters 
of  which  I  deem  of  much  greater  importance  about  which 
I  very  much  desire  to  confer  with  you  and  your  associate 
judges :  and  hence  I  requested  yesterday  a  conference  at 
my  residence.  If  such  conference  be  of  any  value  to  the 
public  it  should  take  place  without  delay.  If  it  suit  you 
I  will  send  over  a  conveyance  to  bring  you  over  at  such 
hour  after  your  adjournment  to-day^  as  you  will  designate 
this  forenoon  to  Major  Bagley. 


To  W.  B.  ^V^icJ^lt. 

Raleigh,  Jan.  16/68. 
******* 

Opinion  of  Qur  public  affairs   are  in   a  most  appalling  condition. 

Congress.  ^  i  i  o 

The  devils  now  claiming  to  be  the  Congress  of  the  U.  S. 
seem  determined  to  leave  no  vestige  of  the  wise  and  benefi- 
cent government  under  which  we  so  long  prospered  and 
commanded  the  respect  of  the  world.  I^ot  a  man  of  them 
can  elevate  himself  above  the  behests  of  mere  partizanship. 
Actual  physical  resistance  or  submission  to  military  des- 
potism seems  to  be  the  only  alternative  offered  to  this 
great  nation. 
Fayetteville. 


^ORTH  Carolina  Historical  Commission.  1135 

To  Andreiv  Johnson. 

Raleigh,  Jan.  16  1868. 
Having  just  learned  that  my  friend  Col.  Wm.  M.  John- 
son will  be  in  Washington  City  to-morrcvv,  allow  me  to  ask 
the  favor  that  you  grant  to  him  a  brief  interview — and  that 
you  communicate  to  him  any  information  touching  the 
present  crisis  in  itTational  affairs,  which  you  may  think 
it  would  be  useful  for  me  to  know — particularly  as  to 
what  you  think  of  the  expediency  (if  Genl  Canby  require 
it)  that  I  cause  the  expenses  of  the  Convention  to  be  paid 
out  of  the  State  Treasurv. 


To  Andrew  Jolinsoii. 

Raleigh,  Jan.  16,  1868. 
Learning  that  my  friends  Genl.  J.  M.  Leach  and  Dr. 
Wm.  B.  Mears  are  on  their  way  to  Washington  City — and 
feeling  profoundly  the  responsibility  of  my  position  in 
the  present  crisis  of  affairs  I  shall  regard  it  as  a  personal 
favor,  if  you  will  accord  to  them  a  brief  interview  and 
give  them  the  benefit  of  your  views  on  such  matters  as  may 
concern  my  action  at  this  juncture — particularly  as  to  the 
propriety  and  expediency,  of  my  granting  my  warrant  for 
the  paying  of  the  expenses  of  the  Convention  out  of  the 
State  Treasury. 


To  David  G.  Worth. 

Raleigh,  Jan.  17/68. 

I  am  feeling  better  to-day  than  I  have  done  for  weeks  ^°'^^^:;j'{,"e|if^^ 
past —     ■"      *     ^     I  still  stay  at  home  under    the    doc- 
tor's orders.     I  have  transgressed  a  little ;  on  two  or  three 
pressing  occasions,  to  my  manifest  injury.      I  have  all  the 
time  dispatched  more  business  at  home  than  I  could  have 


1136  North  Carolina  Historical  Commission. 

done  at  my  office,  aii<l  may  not  subject  myself  to  the  ex- 
cessive annoyance  at  office  Avliich  awaits  me,  whenever  I 
fall  into  the  old  routine,  for  several  days  yet.  I  think 
there  will  be  nothinii;  in  the  odor  of  the  Convention  to 
quicken  convalescence. 

I  know  nothing  as  to  the  doings  of  the  Devils  claiming 
to  be  the  Congress  of  the  U.  S.  which  the  public  journals 
do  not  disclose. 


To  B.  G.  }yorth. 

IiALEiGii,  Jan.  18/6S. 
My  health,  I  trust,  is  about  re-established.     By  staying 
at  home  and  submitting  to  a  real  siege  of  Doctoring  I  be- 
lieve  I   am   about   cured   of   what   I   feared  would   prove 
chronic  Diarrhoea. 

Am  philosophically  awaiting  the  orders  of  Canby  or 
Grant  to  retire  from  the  governorship,  which  may  come  at 
any  hour  without  occasioning  sur]irise.  The  helm  of  the 
great  Ship  of  State  seems  to  be  in  the  hands  of  a  set  of 
Devils  and  the  great  nation,  with  comparative  quiet,  as- 
sents to  the  pilotage  of  these  devils.  We  are  tied  here 
hand  and  foot — The  folly  of  our  hotspurs  rushed  us  into 
war — and  the  ignoble  baseness  of  our  conquerors  delights 
to  torture  us,  involving  all  in  a  common  ruin. 

If  there  be  any  sense  in  the  great  masses  of  the  people, 
a  proper  rebuke  to  these  devils  and  wretches  they  propose 
to  use  in  executing  their  purposes  will  soon  be  admin- 
istered.     If  not.  civilization  will  surrender  to  anarchv. 


Correspondence  of  Jonathan  Worth.  1137 

To  David  Ilcaloii. 

Jan.  22,  180S. 

Havino-  entire  confidence  in  vr.  personal  honor,   what-  suggesting  an 

1        1        T  rv  •  '     .  .  interview. 

ever  may  be  the  din^erenee  m  onr  views  as  to  the  prominent 
political  qnestions  of  the  day,  it  has  occurred  to  nie  that 
a  confidential  interview  between  ns  might  result  in  public 
good.  I  am  so  much  indisposed  that  I  cannot  leave  my 
fireside  with  the  approval  of  my  physician.  If  ^^ou  can 
perceive  no  impropriety  in  it,  as  I  cannot,  I  shall  be 
gratified  if  you  will  call  on  me  at  my  residence  this  even- 
ing or  to-night,  at  such  time  as  may  suit  you,  to  hear 
from  me  certain  suggestions,  confidentially,  touching  pub- 
lic affairs.  I  do  not  propose  to  have  any  friend  present 
at  such  interview — but  am  willing  and  even  prefer,  that 
you  bring  wuth  you  Mr.  Goodloe,  in  whose  personal  honor 
I  have  implicit  confidence, — or  any  other  political  friend 
of  yours  for  whom  you  are  willing  to  vouch  as  a  gentle- 
man. 

Raleigh. 


To  Da  fid  Heat  on. 

Jan.  23/68. 

I  regret  that  my  indisposition  forbids  my  leaving  my 
fireside  to-day — and  hope  that  this  will  be  deemed  sufii- 
cient  apology  for  troubling  you  by  coming  here  on  what 
may  turn  out  to  be  of  no  benefit — but  the  interview  is 
asked  in  perfect  candor  ^\\i\\  some  hope  that  public  good 
may  result  from  it. 

Come  over  whene^'er  it  may  be  perfectly  convenient  to 
you — as  I  am  confined  at  home  and  one  hour  is  (piite  as 
convenient  to  me  as  another. 

Kaleigh. 


Vol.  2—31 


1138  North  Carolina  Historical  Commission. 

To  George  Makepeace. 

Ealeigh,  Jan.  2Jf./68. 

Ill  the  midst  of  my  many  cares  (my  health  poor  too) 
I  am  far  from  indifferent  as  to  the  prospects  of  my  inter- 
est in  Cedar  Falls  Co.  I  made  the  investment  as  a  re- 
source for  declining  years  and  may  possible  be  thrown  upon 
it  as  my  chief  resource  at  no  distant  day. 

I  have  heard  that  you  contemplate  retiring  from  the 
management  at  an  early  day.  If  so,  have  you  any  one  in 
view  as  a  fit  successor  ?  What  are  the  present  prospects  of 
the  company.  Can  a  dividend  be  made  at  once  without 
unduly  crippling  the  resources  of  the  Company  ?  Any  in- 
formation touching  the  present  condition  and  the  future 
prospects  of  the  Company  will  be  most  thankfully  received. 
Try  to  write  me  soon. 

So  heavy  are  the  responsibilities  of  my  situation  (con- 
fined as  I  have  been  for  weeks  past  to  my  fire-side  by  in- 
disposition) that  I  cannot  go  into  an  exposition  of  my 
views  of  the  political  situation.  My  decapitation  at  an 
early  day  is  not  improbable — but  my  friends  shall  have  no 
cause  to  blush  at  such  event,  if  it  occur. 

I  look  for  relief,  at  no  distant  day,  from  the  action  of 
the  Supreme  Court  of  the  U.  S. — Or  if  this  fail,  from  the 
awakening  of  the  intelligent  North  to  the  folly  of  a  Radi- 
cal-Disunion Congress. 

Love  to  Lucy. 

Feanklinsville. 


To  J.  M.  Worth. 

Raleigh,  Jan.  2Jf.  1S08. 
I  have  written  David  to  be  sure  to  attend  meeting  at 
Fayetteville  on  the  11th  proximo. 

I  write  to-day  to  ]\lakepeace  to  get  at  his  plans. 
I  am  not  so  entirely  despondent  as  you  are  as  to  politi- 
cal matters,  though  I  deem  it  not  at  all  improbable  that  I 


Correspondence  of  Jonathan  Worth.  1139 

shall  be  decapitated  very  soon — bnt  I  have  strong  faith  in 
the  Supreme  Court  of  the  U.  S. — and  still  stronger  faith 
that  the  masses  Korth  will  before  very  long  crush  Kadical- 
ism.     ISTegro  domination  cannot  long  prevail. 

My  health  is  not  re-established — and  my  labors,  mental 
and  physical,  very  oppressive.  I  feel  mentally  competent 
to  meet  all  my  responsibilities — but  scarcely  have  strength 
to  conduct  my  responsible  correspondence  and  attend  to 
my  duties.  A  little  freedom  from  care,  which  I  shall 
get  at  removal  from  office,  would  probably  do  more  than 
physic  to  restore  my  health.  Whether  removed  or  not. 
if  you  return  by  here  from  F.  I  think  I  will  go  down 
with  you  and  get  the  benefit  of  a  vacation  and  joiiv  medi- 
cal experience.  As  a  slight  specimen  of  my  labors  I  will 
try  to  inclose  you  a  copy  of  a  letter  I  lately  wrote  Genl 
Canby  which  has  extorted  from  him  a  manly  letter  of  re- 
traxit. I  hope  you  will  read  it  with  some  pride.  I  am 
not  sick  enough  to  be  a  fawning  dog. 


To  M.  E.  Manly} 

Raleigh,  Jan.  21^/68. 
Our  militarv  ruler  is  courteous   enough  to   allow  the  concerning  the 
Govr.   and  Council  to  recommend   a  successor  of  Judge  judge. 
Fowle.     This    recommendation    is   likely   to    be    ratified. 
If  we     make     no     recommendation     the     vacancy     will 
be  filled  by  an  extreme  Radical,  deriving  his  authority  to 
act  exclusively  from   military  appointment.     ISTo  native, 
so  far  as  we  can  learn,  having  any  pretensions  to  fitness, 
will  take  the  teste  oath.     The  alternative  is  presented  to 
make  no  recommendation   and  thus  bring  on  us  the  ap- 
pointment of  A.  W.  Tourgee  or  other  villianous  Radical, 
having   no    personal   or   jirofessioual    }u-etensions   to   be    a 


1  ^Matthias  E.  IManly,  of  Craven,  a  former  Jiistiee  of  the  State 
Supreme  Court.  He  had  been  elected  to  the  United  States  Senate  in 
l<S(i.5  but  was  not  admitted. 


1140  XoRTii  Cakolia^a  Historical  Commission. 

jiulge  with  igiioblc  iiialevoleiiee  towards  our  people : — or 
selection  from  among  the  Yankees  who  have  recently  set- 
tled among  ns,  some  one  less  exceptionable  fur  another. 
My  Council  meets  on  this  matter  next  Friday.  It  is  repre- 
sented to  me  that  Mr.  Seymour  of  your  place  is  among 
the  least  exceptionable  of  those  to  Avhose  selection  we  are 
confined.  Will  you  do  me  the  favor  to  confer  with  my 
friends  Clark,  Haughton,  and  other  prominent  members 
of  your  bar  and  favor  me  with  your  views  on  this  general 
question — and  particularly  as  to  the  most  fit  man,  among 
your  acquaintances,  according  to  your  views,  who  would 
accept  the  appointment. 

[P.  S.]  Brevity  is  unavoidable  with  me — I  am  now, 
and  have  been  for  weeks,  confined  by  illness  to  my  fire- 
side. 


To  Kemp  P.  Battle. 

Monday  morning  Jan.  26/68. 
Advice  as  to  his  Siiice  learning  that  Gov.  Graham  is  of  opinion  that  it 

othcial  action.  ,  "  ^ 

will  be  inexpedient  for  you  or  me,  in  case  of  my  removal 
from  office  by  military  authority,  to  resort  to  any  legal 
steps  for  restoration,  I  am  clearly  of  opinion  that  we  OAve 
it  to  Xorth  Carolina  to  hold  on  to  our  positions,  if  we  can 
do  so  without  positive  dishonor. 

If  you  may  surrender  your  office  and  funds  upon  a  mili- 
tary mandate,  without  recourse  to  law,  surely  you  may 
obey  a  mandate  to  surrender  no  part  of  your  funds. 

I  have  arrived  at  the  conclusion  that  if  Canby  should 
issue  his  edict,  requiring  you  to  obey  the  order  of  the  Con- 
vention, you  and  your  bondsmen  will  be  sunk,  pecuniarily 
— and  your  official  dignity  and  honor  tetter  preserved  by 
a  partial  yielding  to  such  order,  than  by  a  total  surrender, 
which  I  shall  regard  as  most  disastrous  to  the  best  inter- 
ests of  the  State. 


I 


CORKESPONDENCE    OF    JoNATlIAN    WoilTH.  1141 

I  think,  therefore,  that  it  should  be  managed,  without  its 
appearing  to  be  done  by  your  resquest,  that  Canby  super- 
add his  order  to  that  of  the  Convention,  and  that  you  yield 
obedience. 

I  put  these  views  in  writing  because  I  desire  to  assume 
my  full  share  of  responsibility. 

If  the  state  of  the  weather,  in  the  opinion  of  i^\j  phy- 
sician shall  warrant  it,  I  will  go  over  to  my  office  this 
moiiiing  and  confer  with  you.  Apj^carances  now  forbid 
it. 


To  Charles  C.  Clarl:. 

Ealeigh,  Jan.  2S  1SG8. 
I  thank  you  for  yours  of  yesterday. 
After  most  diligent  inquiry  previous  to  the  meeting  of  concerning  the 

.  .  appointment  of  a 

the  Council  of  State  a  month  ago,  neither  I  nor  any  mem-  J"cige. 
ber  of  the  Council  could  name  a  native  lawyer  who  would 
take  the  appointment  to  fill  Judge  Fowle's  place.  There 
was  some  reason  to  hoj^e  that  Poindexter  would  accept. 
He  was  nominated:  before  I  could  get  his  answer  I  re- 
ceived a  letter  from  Genl  Canby  stating  that  A.  W.  Tour- 
gee  had  been  '"nominated  to  a  civil  office  in  the  State  and 
would  have  been  immediately  appointed,"  but  for  the  fact 
that  in  another  correspondence  with  the  Genl.,  I  had  de- 
scribed Tourgee  as  a  man  of  ''most  destable  character." 
I  had  reason  to  believe,  what  turned  out  to  be  true — that 
the  civil  office  to  which  he  referred  was  this  vacancy  on 
the  bench.  The  Genl.  called  on  me,  (having  previously 
written  to  Genl.  Grant  that  my  estimate  of  Tourgee's  char- 
acter Avas  "not  accepted")  to  give  "the  names  and  address 
of  all  persons  on  ivhose  statement  I  based  my  charge."  I 
re])lied  giving  him  a  long  list  embracing  some  half  dozen 
officers  of  the  U.  S.,  one  respectable  negro,  and  some 
thirty  of  the  most  prominent  citizens  of  Guilford  and  ad- 
jacent counties.      I  wound  up  by  stating  that  I  had  reason 


1142  North  Carolina  Historical  Commission. 

to  believe  the  vacant  civil  office  which  he  proposed  to  fill 
with  Tourgee,  was  this  judgship;  and  that  I  knew  no^ 
man  everv  way  so  nniit,  he  having  never  had  a  license  to 
practice  law  in  this  State — and  his  moi-al  character  being 
very  bad.  I  then  added  that  I  had  a  right  to  infer  from 
his  letter  that  he  did  not  intend  to  await  or  expect  a 
recommendation  from  me  and  my  Council  which  he  had 
previously  desired  us  to  make:  that  after  much  delay,  oc- 
casioned by  difficulty  in  getting  into  communication  with 
Poindexter,  I  had  received  his  answer  declining  to  accept 
— and  that  under  all  these  circumstances,  I  did  not  pro- 
pose to  re-convene  my  Council.  My  letter  further  referred 
to  the  fact  that  he  had  never  visited  the  State,  and  that  he 
had  not  consulted  me  as  to  a  single  removal  or  appoint- 
ment out  of  the  many  he  had  made  in  this  State.  My  let- 
ter was  as  pungent  as  I  could  make  it  consistent  with 
civility.  To  my  surprise  his  reply  acknowledged  that  my 
rebuke  was  just,  alleging  however  the  excuse  that  he  had 
inferred  from  my  delay  in  reporting  the  action  of  myself 
and  Council,  that  I  did  not  intend  to  act,  and  admitting 
that  he  had  been  led  to  believe  that  I  was  disposed  to 
throw  obstacles  in  the  Avay  of  the  administration  of  his 
duties  in  IST.  C. 

In  the  mean  time  I  wrote  to  each  member  of  the  Council 
apprising  them  of  what  had  occurred.  Several  of  them 
whose  opinions  you  would  most  respect,  even  before  I  re- 
ceived the  General's  letter  respectfully  apologising  for  his 
apparent  discourtesy,  strongly  urged  that  they  ought  to  be 
re-convened  in  order  to  make  a  further  effort  for  the  rea- 
sons that  they  hoped  we  could  find  some  one  willing  to 
accept  who  would  be  less  obnoxious  to  us  than  one  ap- 
pointed by  Genl.  Canby,  under  the  advice  of  persons  here 
who  have  evidently  got  his  ear. 

Under  these  views  of  several  members  of  the  Council 
and  after  receiving  the  courteous  answer  of  Genl.  C,  I 
summoned  the  Council  to  meet  here  next  Friday.  In  the 
mean  time  I  have  conferred  with  the  judges  of  the  Su- 


Correspondence  of  Jonathan  Worth.  114( 

preme  Court  and  all  others  whom  I  could  consult  (I  have 
been  sick  for  some  weeks  and  rarely  able  to  go  to  my  of- 
fice) and  thus  far  I  have  not  been  able  to  hear  of  any  na- 
tive lawyer,  young  or  old,  in  practice  or  out  of  practice, 
willing  to  take  the  test  oath  and  the  oath  of  office  pre- 
scribed by  our  State  and  I  have  reason  to  believe  that  the 
judges  of  the  Supreme  Court  would  not  recognise  a  judge 
not  holding  a  comn.  from  the  Govr,  and  Council. 

In  view  of  all  these  facts  I  have  been  inquiring,  if  no 
native  can  be  found,  for  some  one  not  a  native,  who  w^ould 
have  some  respect  for  our  laws  and  people ;  and  Mr.  Sey- 
mour's name  has  been  urged  upon  me  by  Mr.  Goodloe  and 
some  other  Republicans,  who  have  represented  to  me  that 
the  prominent  members  of  the  JSTewbern  bar  would  recom- 
mend Seymour.  I  do  not  know  him  personally  nor  by 
reputation,  either  as  to  personal  character  or  legal  acquire- 
ments and  am  in  no  wise  committed  to  nominate  him  or 
any  body  else. 

I  feel  my  position  as  most  embarrassing — and  having 
made  you  this  long  explanation,  I  shall  be  most  thankful  to 
you,  judge  Manly,  Mr.  Haughton  and  other  members  of 
your  bar,  for  any  suggestion  you  will  make  touching  my  ex- 
treme perplexity,  as  to  what  is  best  to  be  done  under  all 
the  circumstances. 

ISTew  Bern. 


To  D.  F.  CaklwelL 

Raleigh  Jan.  29  1868. 
Genl.  Canby's  late  letters  indicate  that  Tourgee  will 
not  be  appointed.  They  are  not  so  offensive.  On  the 
contrary  they  are  not  only  entirely  respectable  but  apolo- 
getic— but  so  far  I  can  hear  on  no  native  who  will  accept 
the  appointment  and  take  the  oaths — nor  do  I  know  of 
any  lawyer,  not  a  native,  whom  we  can  conscientiously 
recommend. 


1144  jSTokth  Carolina  Historical  Commission. 

My  son  and  myself  have  owned  $1800.  of  i--tock  in  tlie 
C()alti(dd  R.  R.  for  years.  When  some  months  ago  my 
attention  was  called  to  the  amniended  charter,  reqniring  me 
to  appoint  an  agent  for  the  State,  with  power  to  nominate 
directors  (a  new  sort  of  charter)  and  a  meeting  of  stock- 
holders then  called  and  to  come  off  in  some  two  or  three 
days,  I  did  not  have  time  to  ascertain  what  were  the  qnes- 
tions  likely  to  arise,  I  nominated  my  son,  because  I  be- 
lieved from  his  location  and  natural  fairness,  that  he 
would  not  favor  any  local  interest,  which  he  might  think 
conflicting  with  the  interests  of  the  State,  nor  do  I  now 
believe  he  will  favor  any  location  or  other  scheme  not,  in 
his  judgment,  most  conducive  to  the  best  interest  of  the 
corporation.  His  appointment,  as  usual  in  case  of  State 
proxies,  lasts  to  the  end  of  the  term  of  the  present  board  of 
Directors. 

He  is  expected  to  cast  all  his  votes  for  what  he  shall 
deem  most  conducive  to  permanent  interests  of  the  cor- 
poration. 

Greensboro. 


To  John  D.    WhUford. 

Kaleigh,  Jan.  30  1868. 

My  old  man  Stephen  was  a  faithful  and  honest  servant, 
and  since  he  became  free  maintains  his  good  character.  At 
the  late  election  here  he  voted  the  conservative  ticket 
openly.  This  much  to  interest  you  for  him  in  a  very 
small  matter.  Just  after  the  close  of  the  war  he  loaned 
$5.  in  silver  to  Alexr.  Scott,  a  smart  bright  mulatto.  I 
think  he  is  a  carpenter — used  to  be  in  some  way  in  the 
employment  of  the  X.  C.  R.  R.  He  is  a  smart  fellow — 
makes  money — but  from  want  of  honesty  or  improvident 
carelessness,  does  not  pay.  Stephen  learns  he  is  in  your 
town  or  a  place  called  Little  Washington.  I  would  not 
have  you  put  yourself  to  any  special  trouble,  but  shall  feel 


COEKESPONDENCE    OF    JONATHAN    WoRTH.  1145 

obliged  if  you  can  Und  the  fellow  and  induce  bim  to  pay 
Stephen. 

I  have  never  been  more  embarrassed  in  the  discharge  of 
my  official  duties. 

I  was  gratified  with  your  late  effort  in  behalf  of  our 
Eastern  R.  Rs.  and  seaports.  The  newspapers  ought  to 
keep  the  matter  before  the  public,  reiterating  the  facts  and 
arguments  and  presenting  them  so  as  to  be  understood  l)y 
the  common  people. 

Newbern. 


To  C.  A.  CiUey. 

Ealeigii,  Feh.  2  1868. 
I  have  had  a  consultation  with  the  iudges  of  the  Su- concerning  the 

>'       o  appointment  of  a 

preme  Court  and  all  the  prominent  lawyers  of  the  State  Ji^dge. 
whom  I  have  met  since  I  last  saw  you  and  feel  warranted 
in  saying  to  you  that  your  acceptance  of  the  judgeship  to 
fill  the  vacancy  occasioned  by  the  resignation  of  Judge 
Fowle  would  be  highly  agreeable,  under  existing  circum- 
stances to  the  judiciary — the  bar  and  the  virtuous  intelli- 
gence of  the  State.  If  you  will  consent  to  accept,  I  will 
nominate  you.  My  Council  are  called  to  meet  on  the  4th 
inst.  Please  answer  by  telegraph. 
Lenoir. 


To  Samuel  R.  Bunting. 

Raleigh.  Feh.  2/68. 
I  have  not  outlawed  any  body  since  I  have  been  in  office. 
If  you  mean  by  outlaws  those  for  whose  apprehension  I 
have  offered  a  reward,  explain  and  I  will  have  list  sent  to 
you.  Of  late  I  have  discontinued  the  practice  of  offering 
rewards  by  advertisement  in  J^ews-papers,  because  the 
friends  of  the  party  to  be  apprehended  generally  give  him 


1146  ISToRTii  Carolina  Historical  Commission. 

notice.      I  issue  printed  band  bills  and  send  tbem  to  tbe 
Sheriffs,  Mayors,  etc.   in  the   region  where  I  may  have 
reason  to  believe  the  fugitive  may  be  found. 
Wilmington. 


To  General  Canhy. 

Raleigh,  Feh.  3  ISGS. 

Owing  to  accidental  causes  a  quorum  of  my  Council 
failed  to  meet  on  the  31st  nit.  Most  of  them  explain  the 
special  cases  which  made  it  impossible  for  them  to  be  here 
on  the  31st  nit. 

I  have  summoned  again  to  meet  on  the  11th  inst. 

I  earnestly  hope  we  may  be  able  to  recommend  some  one 
having  some  pretensions  of  fitness  to  be  made  a  judge. 
My  standard  of  fitness  is  attention  for  inquiry  and  power 
in  legal  reasoning.  Since  obedience  to  the  Constitution 
and  the  Union  are  essential  [Several  words  illegible.^  pi"ej- 
iidice  can  [Several  ivords  illegible.']  manners.  He  should 
not  only  be  a  good  man — ^but  his  past  life  should  warrant 
and  challenge  the  confidence  of  every  man.  A  partizan 
judge  will  follow  the  stripe  of  his  partizanship.  I  detest 
such,  as  do  the  honest  people  of  jSTorth  Carolina,  and  if 
he  have  not  learning  and  firmness,  he  is  but  a  tool  in  the 
hands  of  the  smart  lawyer  on  whom  he  [Several  lines 
illegible.'] 

Charleston^  S.  C. 


To  Rev.  C.  H.  Wiley. 

Raleigh,  Feb.  3  1868. 

For  weeks  past  I  have  been  able  to  attend  only  to  the 
most  urgent  of  my  public  duties,  owing  to  constant  indis- 
position. 

I  have  to-day  read  and  filed  in  the  archives  of  the  Lit. 
Board  your  report  touching  funds  in  the  hands  of  Chn — 


Correspondence  of  Jonathan  Worth.  114" 

School  houses,  etc.  I  conceive  nothing  can  be  done  iu 
these  matters  so  long  as  we  remain  under  military  Govern- 
ment, nor  is  there  any  probability  that  during  my  ad- 
ministration the  information  imported  by  your  rcjxu't  can 
be  taken  into  any  account. 

I  have  felt  myself  constrained  to  give  Mr.  Best  a  war- 
rant for  his  part  of  the  trip  to  'N.  Y.,  making  the  sum 
total  exceed  $1100.  I  had  perceived  that  it  was  not  em- 
braced in  the  bill  rendered  for  you,  Genl.  Gwynn  and 
Major  Bagley.  I  certainly  would  not  have  signed  the 
warrant  without  a  review  of  the  details,  which  by  no  legiti- 
mate means,  as  I  think,  could  be  swelled  to  the  amount  I 
have  allowed.  It  must  be  numbered  now  among  the 
errors  of  my  administration.  Conceding  your  extraordi- 
nary past  services  and  that  your  pay  was  ever  so  inade- 
quate, and  even  conceding  that  your  claim  against  the 
board,  not  yet  finally  acted  upon,  ought  to  be  allowed,  I 
do  not  perceive  any  bearing  whatever  which  these  matters 
have  on  the  subject  of  compensation  for  the  trip  to  JST.  Y. 
nor  do  I  perceive  the  j)ropriety  in  case  the  board  should 
allow  your  claim  for  past  sendees,  in  retaining  a  portion 
of  it  to  lower  the  extravagant  expenses  of  the  trip  to  'N. 
Y.  I  see  no  benefit  to  arise  from  any  further  allusion  to 
this  (to  me)  most  disagreeable  subject,  unless  from  the 
filing  of  the  items  making  up  the  aggregate,  it  can  be 
made  to  appear  reasonable. 

The  survey  of  W.  O.  Swamp  is  progressing  at  very 
heavy  expense. 

I  hear  nothing  from  Maylett  lately.  I  suppose  he  has 
abandoned  the  entei-prise.  I  have  not  entirely  lost  hope  of 
effecting  a  sale  of  W.  O.  Swamp,  when  the  survey  shall 
be  completed— but  I  have  faint  hopes  until  govermnental 
affairs  shall  assume  stable-  fonn,  of  which  there  appears 
no  well-grounded  reasons  for  hope,  at  any  early  day. 

Greensboro. 


11-18  NoKTH  Carolina  Historical  Commission. 

To  B.  G.  AVorih. 

Raleigh,  Feh.  7  18GS. 

The  wine  has  arrived  and  I  presume  is  genuine. 

My  health  for  the  past  week  has  very  greatly  improved. 
I  am  now  simply  weak — have  not  for  a  week  suffered  from 
undue  laxity  of  the  bowels,  or  other  affliction — and  with 
returning  appetite  am  regaining  my  strength. 

I  am  in  entirely  uncertainty  as  to  the  future — whether 
I  shall  be  dismissed  from  office  in  a  day  or  a  week  or  a 
month  or  allowed  to  serve  out  the  term  for  which  I  was 
elected — but,  if  I  live  and  remain  here  this  year,  I  think, 
and  as  a  matter  of  taste  and  profit,  Avant  to  cultivate  a  few 
acres  of  land  in  corn,  etc  and  to  make  it  turn  out  a  good 
yield — and  to  this  end  want  10  bags  best  geiuiine  Peru- 
vian Guano.  Please  send  them  to  me  by  freight,  not  ex- 
pro<:s.:  and  when  you  shall  report  the  bill,  I  will  remit,  in- 
cluding price  for  wine. 


To  Edward  CantivcU. 

Raleigh  Feh.  10  1868. 

Your  late  lettei-  asking  whether  a  report  had  been  made 
to  me  under  the  resolution  of  the  Genl  Assembly  of  Feb. 
21/66,  and  if  so,  asking  for  a  copy  of  such  report,  has 
been  reed. 

A  very  voluminous  report,  accompanied  by  sundry  docu- 
ments and  testimony,  was  made  to  me  by  Atto.  Genl.  Rog- 
ers and  immediately  communicated  to  the  Genl  Assembly. 
These  documents  are  among  the  legislative  files  and  not 
in  my  possession.  The  copying  W'Ould  involve  the  hiring 
of  extra  clerical  force  for  at  least  a  week's  work — proba- 
bly longer.  The  result  was  an  order  that  the  matter  un- 
dergo investigation  by  judicial  proceeding,  which  has  been 
instituted  and  is  pending  in  Cumberland  Supr.  Court. 

OXEORD. 


Correspondence  oe  Jonathan  Woktji.  3 1 49 

To  J .  J.  Jaclison. 

ILvEEiOH,  Feb.  10/08. 

I  have  brought  to  a  happy  conclusion  a  most  laborious  ^^'J^^'l^"*  ^^'^^ 
and  dangerous  correspondence.  Without  in  the  slightest 
degree  lowering  the  colors  I  am  trying  to  carry  creditably 
to  ^orth  Carolina,  Gen.  Canby  has  frankly  and  honorably 
made  the  amende  honorahle,  and  he  and  his  staff  and  the 
judge  of  the  Suj^reme  Court  with  a  few  others  took  tea 
with  us  tonight.  He  and  his  staff  politely  called  on  me 
at  my  residence  immediately  after  his  arrival  here.  I 
have  reason  to  expect  courteous  treatment  for  the  future 
of  my  official  position. 

I  ardently  hope  our  people  may  not,  by  vote  or  inaction, 
degrade  themselves  by  allowing  it  to  be  said  they  ratified 
the  schemes  on  foot  to  dishonor  them. 


To  Clinton  A.  Cilley. 

KaleiCxH,  Feb.  13  1868. 
I  am  not  yet  officially  notified  whether  Genl.  Canby 
will  ratify  the  action  of  myself  and  Council  appointing 
you  a  judge.  I  have  no  reason  to  believe  he  will  disregard 
it — and  to-day  write  to  Judge  Shipp,  requesting  him  to 
exchange  circuits  with  you,  as  you  request  in  yours  of  the 
11th  inst. 

Lenoir. 


To  ^y^lUam  A.  ]Yrig]if. 

Kaleigh,  Feb.  13/68. 
I  reed  a  few  days  ago  the  inclosed  letter  from  Mrs. 
Shrier — and  replied  that  I  could  do  nothing  upon  her  un- 
supported allegation.     By  this  morning's,  mail  I  have  reed 
inclosed   letter    from    Gov.    Orr.      Courtesv    seems   to    re- 


1150  North  Carolina  Historical  Commission. 

quire  ine  to  make  some  inquiry  into  the  matter.     \Yill  you 
give  me  such  information  touching  the  matter  as  may  en- 
able me  to  send  some  response  to  Govr.  Orr  ? 
Please  return  the  letters  with  your  answer. 

AVlL^riNGTOX. 


To  D.  Heaton. 

Ealeigh,  Feb.  IS  1868. 

appofntm"ltofa  "^-^^  friendly  personal  relations  between  us  seem  to  re- 
^^^^^-  quire  some  explanation  in  relation  to  a  paper  delivered 

to  me  some  days  ago  purporting  to  be  a  petition  by  yourself 
and  some  30  other  members  of  your  Convention,  addressed 
to  Genl.  Canby,  advising  him  to  appoint  E.  W.  Jones  Esq 
to  fill  vacancy  on  the  bench 'of  our  Supr.  Court  judges 
occasioned  by  the  resignation  of  Judge  Fowle. 

It  was  known  that  the  reconstruction  acts  of  Congress 
authorised  the  General  to  fill  this  vacancy  and  that  he  had 
courteously  invited  the  Govr.  and  Council,  according  to 
our  Constitution,  to  recommend  a  fit  person  to  fill  this 
vacancy,  reserving  to  himself  the  right  to  approve  or  reject 
such  recommendation.  I  do  not  therefore  perceive  either 
courtesy  or  propriety  in  sending  to  me,  in  advance  of  the 
action  of  the  Govr.  and  Council,  a  petition  to  fill  this 
vacancy  by  the  General.  It  seems  to  invite  the  disregard 
of  such  recommendation,  as  it  would  have  been  addressed 
to  the  Govr.  and  Council,  if  intended  to  influence  their 
action. 

The  paper  sent  to  me  pui^^orts  to  be  the  original  peti- 
tion, but  as  the  petition  and  signatures  are  in  one  hand- 
writing, I  suppose  it  was  intended  to  be  regarded  as  a 
copy :  but  why  sent  to  me,  I  cannot  comprehend. 

If  the  i:)aper  had  been  addressed  to  me  to  be  laid  before 
the  Council  of  State  it  would  have  been  so  treated  and  due 
consideration  given  to  it.  Xot  understanding  why  it  was 
sent  to  me  and  for  what  purpose  I  have  taken  no  action 
on  it. 


COKKESPONDENCE    OF    JONATHAN    WoRTII.  1151 

I  deem  this  explanation  due  to  yon  and  the  other  gentle- 
men whose  names  are  attached  to  the  paper, 
Kaleigit. 


To  General  Canby. 

Eaeeigh.  Feb  IJ^  ISGS. 

I  hope  your  interview  with  our  intelligent  citizens  and 
the  information  derived  from  the  worthy  commandant  of 
this  Post,  who  has  been  long  stationed  here,  will  have  sat- 
isfied you  that  the  present  municipal  officers  of  this  city 
have  discharged  their  duties  for  the  past  year  with  remark- 
able fidelity  and  discretion  and  that  our  orderly  population, 
whether  white  or  black, — property-holders  or  non-property 
holders,  (who  are  not  mere  partizans)  anxiously  desire 
their  continuance  in  office,  until  a  new  election  shall  be 
held,  or  until  there  shall  be  just  grounds  of  complaint  of- 
fered against  them.  If  you  take  no  action  in  the  matter 
I  understand  they  hold  over  under  the  corporate  laws, 
until  their  successors  shall  be  appointed.  With  the  single 
view  to  the  good  government  of  the  town,  I  earnestly  hope 
that  you  will  deem  non-action  in  the  premises  consistent 
with  your  duty. 

Raleigh. 


To  Charles  A.  Eldridge.^ 

Raleigh,  Feb.  U  i^^OS. 
If  it  be  deemed  necessarv  by  you  and  others  combatting  outlining  eondi- 

•-'•-■  ,  ^  tions  in  tlie  State. 

the  devilish  schemes  of  Radicalism,  to  expose  the  un]U"in- 
cipled  scheme  of  enfranchising  any  body  here  favoring  the 
vile  plan  called  re-construction,  wholly  irrespective  of  his 


3  Charles  A.  Eldridge,  a  native  of  Vermont,  and  at  this  time,  and 
since  1852,  a  member  of  Congress  from  Wisconsin.  He  was  in  sym- 
pathy with  President  Johnson. 


I 


1152  Xoirni  Carolina  Historical  Commission. 

auk-cedents,  it  seems  proper  you  should  be  furnished  with 
authentic  facts. 

For  more  than  25  years  W.  W.  liolden,  late  Provl  Govr. 
of  this  State,  was  the  editor  of  the  li.  C.  Standard.  I  ran 
against  him  for  Govr.  in  the  fall  of  1865.  I  inclose  to 
you  a  paper,  extensivel}^  circulated,  in  that  contest. 
Ilolden  has  never  impeached  its  exact  truthfulness.  From 
this  you  will  see  he  was  a  Secessionist — violently  abused 
the  abolitionists — that  he  voted  for  the  Ordinance  of  Se- 
cession in  1801 — sustained  the  South  wath  violent  abuse 
of  the  N^orth  in  the  early  part  of  the  war — was  an  ad- 
mirer of  Jeff  Davis  etc — that  he  was  the  most  ardent  sup- 
porter of  the  Confederacy  w^hile  the  arms  of  the  South 
maintained  the  contest  wuth  some  prospect  of  success.  See 
extracts  after  the  war.  I  approved  and  he  disapproved, 
the  terms  of  capitulation  between  Sherman  and  Johnson. 
He  professed  to  be  a  most  ardent  supporter  of  Prest. 
Johnson's  plan  of  re-construction  and  I  gave  in  my  ad- 
hesion to  it,  as  the  best  that  was  practical  after  the  Sher- 
man-Johnson plan  w'as  rejected.  The  great  burthen  of  his 
appeal  to  be  cdeeted  over  me  was  that  he  claimed  to  be  a 
more  reliable  friend  of  the  Prest  and  his  policy  than  I 
was.  I  have  always  been  known  and  recognized  as  a 
Union  man,  but  yielded  obedience  to  the  Southern  govern- 
ment and  acted  with  fidelity  to  my  section  when  war  be- 
came flagrant.  I  was  elected  and  re-elected  Governor  by 
large  majorities.  Then  Holden  turned  against  the  Prest 
— became  an  ultra  Radical .  Before  negro  suffrage  became 
a  part  of  the  Radical  programme,  he  kept  at  the  head  of 
his  paper  ''uncompromising  opposition  to  negro  suffrage." 
Noiu  he  is  a  whole-hog  Radical.  He  has  always  been  a 
miserable  political  Jackall,  standing  off  and  grinning  till 
the  lion  would  throAv  him  a  bone.  These  bones  now  sup- 
port him.  The  public  printing  given  him  by  the  Clerk 
of  your  house, — Bankrupt  and  other  public  work  keeps 
up  his  vitality.  He  is  now  to  be  made  a  Patriot,  and 
fitted  by  act  of  Congress,  to  be  elected  Gov.  of  a  people, 


COKRESPOXDENCE    OE    JoXATIIA.X     WoUTII.  1153 

every  one  of  whom,  having  the  instincts  of  a  man,  (and 
not  the  canine  instinct,)  despises  him. 

Yon  must  not  infer  that  this  letter  springs  from  hos- 
tility to  Ilolden,  growing  out  of  political  rivalry.  I  am 
an  old  man — have  seldom  consented  to  accept  political  po- 
sition—always abhorred  Ilolden  as  a  political  cameleon — 
ardently  desire  to  retire  from  political  strife,  hut  hope  I 
shall  never  quietly  acquiesce  in  promiscuous  offers  by  au- 
thority, to  encourage  villiany. 

I  Avill  not  ask  Congress  to  remove  from  me  disabilities 
they  had  no  right  to  impose,  although  I  have  been  all  my 
life  a  Constitutional  Union — and  law  and  order  man.  I 
inclose  a  paj^er  or  two,  to  show  this — and  submit  whether 
it  would  not  be  well  (not  at  my  instance  however)  to 
move  to  add  my  name  to  the  list  to  be  enfranchised,  so  as 
to  force  the  House  to  reject  me  and  adopt  Holden.  I  wish 
it  distinctly  understood  that  I  would  not  go  for  the  Radical 
schemes,  for  any  office  or  reward  Congress  or  the  I^ation 
could  confer  on  me.  I  entertain  neither  hope  nor  wish 
that  Congress  will  ever  make  me  the  political  equal  of  the 
most  ignorant  slave  I  lately  owned.  I  suggest  it  only  as 
a  means  of  showing  that  this  Congress  is  not  willing  to 
allow  the  people  of  N.  C.  to  choose  between  a  constant 
Union  man:  and  a  Secessionist,  anti- Abolitionist — anti- 
negro  suffrage  man  who  has  spent  a  life  time  in  assisting 
sectional  alienation — if  the  Union  man  be  not  now  a 
Radical. 

If  the  papers  I  inclose  be  of  no  use  to  you,  please  re- 
turn them.  They  are  of  fugitive  character — I  have  had 
some  trouble  to  find  them — and  in  our  local  affairs  they 
may  be  of  use  to  me. 

I  address  you,  though  a  stranger  personally,  because  I 
am  an  admirer  of  your  manly  course  in  CongTess — xVnd 
trust  that  you  will  not  misconstiiie,  though  it  may  be  use- 
less, this  effort  to  expose  W.  W.  Ilolden  and  those  who 
would  now  try  to  make  a  Patriot  out  of  such  base  nui- 
terial. 

Wasiiixotox,  J).  C. 

Vol.  2—32 


1154  XoKTii  Cakot.ixa  Historical  Commission. 

To  WllUajn  Clark. 

Kaleigh  Feb  16  1868. 
Regarding  the  Yoiii's  of  the  oi'd  iiist.  re})l yiiii>'  to  mine  of  the  28th  Dec. 

negro  in  politics,      i      .        •    •  i    ^  •  •  .       .  i  ^ 

last,  giving  mv  speciiJative  views  as  to  the  negro  race  and 
Radicalism,  was  a  hastily  written  letter ;  and  if  construed 
as  imputing  unworthy  duplicity  to  the  Quakers,  requires 
explanation.  I  have  more  respect  for  the  Quakers  than 
I  have  for  any  other  religious  sect.  I  regard  their  lives 
and  doctrines  as  approaching  nearer  to  the  teachings  of 
Jesus  Christ  and  enlightened  reason,  than  those  of  any 
other  organized  society  of  men,  but  /  do  not  believe  that 
they  believe  that  I  understand  them  to  profess  to  believe, 
that  the  negro  race  is  capable  of  being  made  the  equal  in 
any  thing  which  distinguishes  civilization,  with  the  white 
race.  I  think  they  have  dwelt  on  the  wrongs  done  to  the 
African  race  until  sickly  gentimentality  has  disturbed  their 
usual  equanimity.  It  seems  to  me  that  the  whole  history 
of  the  race,  confiiined  by  all  our  observation,  who  have 
lived  with  the  African  in  America,  forces  the  conclusion 
that  the  Cajicasia]i.is_4i  suj^erior _race..of  man :  and  as  the 
Quakers  and  other  Northern  Radicals  profess  to  believe 
him  in  all  things  the  equal  of  the  white  man,  but  continu- 
ally and  conclusively  show  by  their  actions  that  they  don't 
want  him  (the  African)  as  a  citizen  among  them,  while 
they  court  the  immigration  of  the  white  race  from  all  coun- 
tries, I  do  not  believe  them  sincere  in  their  professions. 
They  are  willing  and  anxious  to  invest  him  with  equal 
political  power  with  the  whites  in  the  South,  (necessarily 
iny^ving  social  ^^ality)  they  don't  want  him  as  a  citizen 
among  them.  Are  any  of  you  willing  to  encourage  the 
negro  to  settle  in  Indiana — where  your  property  and  rich 
lands  would  enable  you  to  give  him  remunerative  employ- 
ment and  where  you  could  extend  to  him  the  kindness  and 
protection  you  say  we  will  not  extend  to  him  ? — and  which 
you  hold  justifies  the  keeping  up  of  an  enormous  standing 
army  to  carry  out  the  Radical  plans  which  the  Quakers 


COKRESPONDENCE    OF    JONATITAN    WoRTH.  1155 

approve,  ^\it]l  the  enormous  taxation  unavoidably  attend- 
ing it  ?  If  yon  are  really  sincere  why  not  invite  the  ne- 
groes to  go  to  you  where  you  could  take  care  of  them  and 
train  them,  without  the  expense  of  the  enormous  army  you 
vote  to  sustain.  I  thinly  it  proceeds  from  your  internal 
consciousness  that  the  negro  is  a  drone — that  he  cannot 
(because  nature  has  forbidden  it)  be  made  a  good  and 
useful  citizen.  You  must  allow  me  to  doubt  your  sin- 
cerity until  you  invite  the  negro  to  settle  among  you,  afid 
in  all  thin^^ocial  and  palitical,  to  become  your  equal. 
/  think  you  all  internally  feel  and  know  that  the  normal 
condition  of  the  African  is  that  of  a  savage-^-and  that 
Providence,  for  inscrutable  reasons,  has  made  him  incapa- 
ble of  permanent  civilization  and  useful  citizenship.  If 
you  really  believe  him  an  oppressed  equal  the  benevolence 
which  is  your  distinguishing  characteristic  woidd  make 
you  invite  him  within  your  protecting  influence. 

Until  you  invite  him  to  go  to  you,  you  must  allow  me  to 
fear  to  believe — that  you  are  not  free  from  the  revengeful 
feeling  against  the  South,  springing  from  our  unwise, 
wicked  revolt — and  that  you  are  willing  to  fasten  on  us  as 
a  punishment  this  unprofitable  dronish  race. 

This  is  a  fuller  exposition  of  my  ideas.  I  must  not  be 
understood  as  alienated  from  the  Quakers:  far  from  it, 
but  I  don't  believe  they  are  free  from  the  imperfections 
which  belong  to  human  nature — and  one  of  these  imper- 
fections is  the  sustaining  of  an  enormous  standing  army 
and  Freedman's  Bureau  (which  all  of  you  do  who  sustain 
the  Radicals)  under  pretence  of  protecting  the  negro, 
while  you  do  not  disguise  your  aversion  to  have  him  settle 
among  vou. 

I  have  been  long  suffering  under  infirm  health :  and 
though  lately  much  improved,  am  still  less  robust  than 
usual — and  rarely  indulge  in  the  exposition  of  my  views 
as  to  questions  of  the  character  I  have  discussed  in  this  ■ 
hastily  written  letter.  I  abhor  the  Democratic  ten^sacy 
of  our    o-overament.      I   use   the   word   democratic    in   its 


115G  XoKTii   Cakot.ixa  IIistokical  Commission. 

proper — not  its  party — sense.  The  tendency  is  to  ignore 
virtue  and  property  and  intelligence — and  to  put  the  pow- 
ers of  government  into  the  hands  of  mere  numbers.  The 
Quakers,  therefore,  as  the  advocates  of  universal  negro 
suffrage,  of  course  carrying  with  it  the  right  to  all  who 
have  neither  property  nor  intelligence  to  vote,  have  be- 
come ultra  democratic,  and  I  politically  part  with  them 
on  this  great  fundamental  principle.  M.en_\3all  be  gov- 
ertied  by  their  interests.  The  majority  in  all  times  and 
in  all  countries  are  improvident  and  without  property. 
Agrarianism  and  anarchy  must  be  the  result  of  this  ultra 

democracy. 

*  *  *  •»  *  *  * 

ECOXOMY^  Ixdiajsta. 


To  B.  S.  Hedrick. 

Raleigh,  Feb.  16  1S68. 
Rent  of  mansion.  Qenl,  Tyler,  (^r.  Master  of  this  mil.  District,  informs 
me  he  has  submitted  to  the  proper  authority  in  Washing- 
ton his  report  on  my  application  for  rent  for  the  Govern- 
or's mansion.  He  says  it  is  not  his  province  to  decide  for 
or  against  the  claim — and  that  he  has  simply  reported  the 
facts  and  an  estimate  of  the  amount  to  be  allowed — if  any 
thing  be  allowed.  I  could  perceive  that  his  judgment  is 
against  me,  as  to  the  legality  of  the  claim  and  I  fear  his 
report  is  adverse  to  me. 

The  facts  are  that  the  Governor,  in  addition  to  his  sal- 
ary, which  was  $3000.  a  year  before  the  war,  has  been 
furnished  with  a  furnished  residence  by  the  State.  As  the 
mansion  was  occupied  by  the  military  and  the  furniture 
missing  I  have  supplied  my  own  residence  and  furniture, 
my  salary  being  fixed  at  $4000.  in  present  currency,  and 
the  Genl.  Assembly  in  lieu  of  supplying  me  with  furnished 
house,  passed  a  resolution  authorising  me  to  apply  to  the 
U.  S.  for  rent  for  the  occupation  of  the  mansion  and  to 
a})ply  such  rent  to  my  own  use. 


CoEKESPO:XDEXCE    OF    JoXATlIAX    WoRTII.  1157 

I  inferred  from  what  was  said  to  me  at  the  Qr.  Master's 
department,  the  day  yon  went  there  with  me,  that  the 
claim  would  be  paid,  as  to  occupation  after  the  date  of  the 
President's  peace  proclamation :  hnt  T  fear  if  I  have  no  one 
to  press  it,  that  I  shall  not  get  it.  Xow  I  authorise  you 
to  attend  to  it  in  my  behalf — or  if  it  be  inconvenient  to 
vou — or  you  deem  it  expedient,  to  employ  a  suitable  attor- 
ney to  press  the  claim  for  me.  I  hope  I  shall  have  no  fee 
— or  at  all  events  only  a  small  fee,  to  pay  if  nothing  shall 
be  allowed  me. 

You  will  add  to  the  many  obligations  I  am  under  to 
Tou,  if  you  will  give  attention  to  this  matter  for  me. 

Washixgtox^  J).  C. 


To  Bory  McNair. 

RaleiCxIi,  Feb.  loth  18GS. 
Yours  of  the  litli  inst  reached  me  last  night.  Genl. 
Canby  had  left  here  yesterday  morning.  I  was  not  in- 
formed of  effort  to  get  your  County  officers  removed.  If 
you  find  any  thing  of  the  kind  on  foot,  let  me  know,  and 
I  will  do  my  best  to  frustrate  the  designs  of  your  bad 
man  Saintclair. 

LUMBERTOX. 


To  James  B.  Levy. 

Raleigh,  Feh.  16  1S68. 
Yours  of  11th  Feb.  inst.  is  received.  If  wrong  be  done 
you  as  one  of  the  property  holders  of  Wilming-ton  and  the 
Corporate  authorities  of  Wilmington  will  not  redress  (into 
which  I  cannot  inquire  as  Gov.  of  the  State)  and  if  any 
amendment  of  our  general  laws,  or  local  laws,  be  necessary, 
I  presume  you  are  aw^are  of  the  fact  that  Congress  has 
devised  a  scheme  of ,  government  which  denies  to  these 
States — (the  Southern  States) — the  right  to  legislate.     It 


]15S 


Request  to  ex- 
change circuits. 


North  Carolina  Historical  Commission. 

often  happens  that  legislation  is  necessary  to  meet  the  oc- 
currences of  our  anomalous  condition.  We  are  not  al- 
lowed to  legislate.  Our  conquerors  claim  the  right  to 
legislate  for  the  whole  nation  and  over  corporate  to^vns  in 
the  South.  [Best  of  letter  missing.'] 
^Ew  York. 


To  Judge  W.  M.  Shipp. 

Ealeigh,  Feb.  17 /G8. 
Mr.  Cilley  has  been  induced  at  my  solicitation,  speaking 
in  behalf  of  the  judges  of  the  Supreme  Court  and  of  the 
bar — so  far  as  I  could  collect  the  opinion  of  the  bar,  to 
accept  the  position  made  vacant  by  the  resignation  of  judge 
Fowle.  Mr.  Cilley  is  very  desirous  to  swap  circuits  with 
you  and  asks  me  to  do  what  I  may  properly  do,  to  carry 
out  his  wishes.  I  can  only  say  that  I  shall  be  personally 
gratified  if  you  shall  exchange  circuits  with  him — which 
exchange,  so  far  as  I  can  see,  will  not  incommode  you. 

LiNCOLNTON. 


Outlining  Recon- 
struction. 


To  Joel  Lucas. 

Raleigh  Feb.  18  1868. 

Your  long  letter  of  the  3rd  inst.  leave  no  doubt  as  to 
your  interest  in  the  welfare  of  the  people  amongst  whom 
you  were  brought  up. 

For  several  years  our  Country  has  been  afflicted  with 
ISTational  Insanity.  When  the  leading  men  of  the  South 
undertook  to  protect  slavery  by  breaking  up  the  Union 
and  setting  up  a  Southern  Confederacy — they  exhibited 
insanity.  The  ]!^orth  now,  which  would  put  us  under  the 
government  of  the  negro,  is  still  more  insane.  Sane  men 
know  that  for  6000  years,  the  negro  has  in  no  instance 
extablished  or  maintained  successful  civil  government. 
They  know  that  he  is  every  where  a  drone  in  the  national 


CoKUESi'OXDEXCE    OF    JoXATIIAX     WoitTH.  1159 

hive — and  hence  every  Xortheni  State  is  averse  to  negroes 
settling  among  them.  If  they  really  believed  him  an 
equal  and  oppressed  brother,  they  would  invite  him  to 
settle  among  them,  where  they  could  better  attend  to  his 
culture  and  fit  him  to  aid  in  the  march  of  civilization. 
What  ISTorthern  Abolitionist  wants  the  negro  among  them  ? 
but  their  hatred  to  us  would  make  this  race  rule  over  us. 
This  is  insane  hatred.  If  we  be  ruined,  our  dead  corpse, 
hanging  upon  the  body  of  the  nation,  will  disease  the 
whole  body.  Our  folly  led  us  into  a  war,  in  which  since 
the  days  of  miracles  passed  away,  we  should  have  expected 
three  strong  well  armed  men,  likely  to  overcome  one  un- 
armed man.  Our  conquest  was  almost  a  certainty.  The 
going  into  such  a  contest  Avas  insanity  on  our  side.  ISTow 
that  we  are  conquered  the  iSTorth,  if  national,  should  treat 
us  as  the  repentant  prodigal  son — but  JSTorthern  insanity 
gives  us  only  kicks  and  gibes — which  must  necessarily  re- 
sult in  national  ruin.  There  are  some  symptons  of  re- 
turning sympathy  and  sense,  in  our  conquerors.  I  do  not 
think  we  can  do  nmch  in  any  way  to  aid  this  returning 
sanity.  The  general  fact  is  known  that  we  acknowledge 
and  submit  to  the  results  of  war.  We  still  have  some 
self  respect.  When  we  are  called  upon,  by  our  o'wn  act. 
to  declare  that  we  deem  it  expedient  that  the  negro  shall 
hereafter  be  our  rulers — when  the  national  legislation  asks 
me  for  instance,  by  my  vote,  to  say  that  the  most  ignorant 
of  my  late  male  slaves  ought  to  rule  and  that  I  ought  not 
to  have  any  hand  in  the  government,  because,  when  I 
could  not  prevent  the  late  rebellion,  and  the  United  States 
could  not  protect  me,  I  yielded  obedience  to  the  govern- 
ment established  here,  I  will  not  yield  to  such  insane  de- 
mand. I  can  perceive  no  course  open  to  us  only  to  hope 
for  returning  sanity  among  our  conquerors  and  in  the 
mean  time  to  submit  to  what  we  cannot  resist :  but  not  to 
give  voluntary  assent  to  put  on  and  wear  the  chains  which 
a  generous  conqueror  would  despise  to  ask  us  to  wear. 
I  was   glad   to   hear   from   you.     Hope  you   have   im- 


1160  Xoirni   Cakolixa  IIistokicat.  Commission. 

proved  yonr  furniue  by  removal  and  glad  to  find  yon  fee! 
an  interest  in  those  among  whom  yon  were  brought  up  in 
this  time  of  sore  calamity  among  them. 
TiiORXTOwx,  Iowa. 


To  Mr.  Cowan} 

Feb.  18/68. 
Affairsnfthe  w.  c.       I  have  carefiillv  examined  the  paper  yesterdav,  relating 
to  the  W.  C.  &  R.  Rail  Road,  you  placed  in  my  hands, 
purporting  to  have  been  prepared  by  you.     I  treat  you  as 
responsible  for  the  facts  therein  set  forth. 

On  this  assumption  the  W.  C.  R.  R.  must  soon  pass  into 
the  hands  of  strangers,  to  the  total  loss  of  the  State  and 
individuals  who  have  done  so  much  to  build  it,  if  the 
proposed  relief  asked  from  the  Convention  by  this  paper 
be  not  made  effectual : — and  you  and  Mr.  Porter  assure  nie 
»  it  cannot  be  made  effectual  without  my  signature  to  the 

certificates  of  your  bonds — to-wit  that  the  Convention  now 
sitting  has  passed  the  ordinance  therein  referred  to. 

Of  course  you  ought  to  have  my  sig-nature  to  prevent  a 
calamity  so  terrible,  if  I  may  give  it  wuthout  great  official 
impropriety,  as  you  aver  such  signature  is  essential  to  the 
success  of  the  plan. 

I  regard  this  Convention  as  an  assemblage  called  in  vio- 
lation of  the  fundamental  provisions  of  our  government — - 
and  I  further  think,  even  if  it  were  constitutionally  called, 
that  no  power  is  conferred  on  it  by  Acts  of  Congress  which 
called  it ; — or  the  election  of  the  delegates  under  such 
acts,  to  pass  the  ordinance  for  the  relief  of  your  corpora- 
tion ;  and  consequently  I  can  do  no  act  not  in  consistency 
with  these  convictions ;  nevertheless  I  perceive  that  the 
certificate  asked  of  me,  is  simply  an  affinnation  that  the 
Convention  has  passed  such  ordinance  and  not  an  afiirma- 
tion  of  my  opinion  that  such  ordinance  is  rightfully  passed 


'  Probably  R.  H.  Cowan,  of  Wilmington. 


I 


COEEESPOXDENCE    OF    JoXATIIAX     WolITlI.  1161 

— Even  in  this  vieAv  I  am  embarrassed  in  giving  my  sig- 
nature, because  I  do  not  perceive  how  I  can  officially  know 
that  any  such  ordinance  has  passed: — but  in  view  of  the 
terrible  calamity  to  result  from  my  refusal  to  sign  it,  I 
overlook  what  may  be  regarded  as  a  tcchnality,  perhaps, 
and  will  sign  it,  when  the  passage  of  the  ordinance  shall 
be  duly  certified  to  me  by  the  President  of  the  Convcnticm. 


To  B.   G.  Worth. 

Ealeigh,  Feb.  21  18G8. 


* 


]\[y  health  is  now  pretty  good.  Gov.  Graham's  speech 
is  not  yet  published.  It  was  off  hand.  He  is  one  of  the 
very  few  men  of  America — who  is  great  intellectually 
without  a  particle  of  demagogueism — a  manly,  virtuous, 
honorable  statesman. 


To  B.  S.  Hedncl: 

Raleigh  Feh.  2Ji  ISGS. 
By  the  inclosed  papers  you  will  see  my  claim  for  rent  Eent  of  the 

'^  J.     1  ./  i^  mansion. 

for  Govr's  mansion  has  been  rejected  contrary  to  my  ex- 
pectations as  derived  from  the  officers  we  saw  in  the  Q.^Fs 
office. 

I  doubt  whether  the  claim  has  been  duly  considered.  It 
is  not  a  claim  in  behalf  of  the  State.  The  use  of  the 
mansion  is  by  law  one  of  the  rights  or  perquisites  of  Gov- 
ernors. At  least  after  the  Prest's.  proclamation  of  peace, 
the  military  should  have  surrendered  it  to  me.  I  fur- 
nished my  own  house  because  the  military  occupied  that 
provided  for  me  by  law,  and  the  Gcnl  Assembly  passed  a 
resolution,  authorising  me  [line  illegible']  amount  of  the 
U.  S.  to  apply  such  rent  to  my  personal  use.  It  is  in 
effect  a  part  of  my  salary — a  purely  personal  right.      The 


11G2  XoRTii  Caroli:va  Historical  Commission. 

Govt,  has  paid  every  private  citizen  here  for  rent  of  his 
house  occupied  by  the  military,  at  least  since  this  peace 
proclamation.  If  they  choose  to  occupy  the  governor's 
house,  I  cannot  understand  why  I  should  not  be  paid  for 
such  occupation. 

Washi^^gtox^  D.  C. 


To  General  Canhy. 

Feb.  Uih  1868. 
Relating  to  claim        Owiiio;  to  the  absence  of  the  Prest.  of  the  Wilmington, 

against  tlie  W.  C.  ° 

&  R.  R.  R.  Charlotte  &  Rutherford  R.  R.  and  other  causes  I  have  not 

been  able  to  close  my  investigation  with  the  complaint  of 
Messrs.  Vance  &  Dowd  against  the  Company,  which  you 
referred  to  me  some  time  ago,  so  promptly  as  was  desir- 
able. 

I  reed  yesterday  certain  papers  touching  the  matter.  I 
regard  them  as  throwing  no  new  light  on  the  matter. 

I  am  satisfied  the  claims  of  the  plaintiffs  are  just  and 
meritorious — and  believe  the  officers  of  the  company  are 
anxious  to  pay  them,  whenever  they  can  get  means  to  do 
so. — The  Company  is  in  the  most  deplorable  financial  con- 
dition of  any  of  our  Roads.  The  Convention  now  sitting 
passed  an  ordinance  a  few  days  ago  intended  to  enable 
the  corporation  to  continue  their  operations  by  a  loan  of 
money  and  the  agencies  of  the  Road  are  endeavoring,  as 
they  assure  me,  with  good  hopes  of  success  to  raise  money 
very  soon,  but  Avhatever  may  be  the  result,  I  cannot  per- 
ceive that  the  plaintiffs  ought  to  have  from  you  the  re- 
lief they  ask,  for  the  reasons  set  forth  in  my  former  re- 
port— and  especially  and  forcibly  reported  by'  Capt.  La- 
zelle. 

Charlestox,  S.  C. 


COEEESPONDENCE    OF    JoNATIIAX    WoETH.  11<)3 

To  John  M.  Moreliead. 

Feb.  25 Ih  1SG8. 

I  was  taken  quite  by  siii-]3i'ise  the  other  day  when  you  Business  matters, 
told  me  you  and  your  family  felt  grateful  to  me  for  my 
agency  in  bringing  to  final  settlement  the  long  protracted 
and  important  controversy  between  yr  father  and  1^.  C. 
R.  R.  You  properly  appreciated  my  motive.  I  hold  that 
every  upright  and  judicious  man,  whether  acting  for  him- 
self or  as  agent  or  trustee  for  others,  is  anxious  to  bring 
to  a  close  the  controversies  which  are  continually  spring- 
ing from  business.  I  was  attached  to  your  father. 
Mutual  kindness  and  respect  had  always  existed  between 
us.  I  desired  also  to  deserve  well  of  the  State  which  had 
honored  me  by  confiding  to  me  her  most  important  inter- 
ests. I  therefore  suggested  the  reference  of  this  con- 
troversy to  Judge  Ruffin  and  Govr.  Graham,  because  from 
their  character  for  intelligence  and  probity,  no  body  could 
doubt  they  would  settle  it  justly  and  more  intelligently 
and  satisfactorily  than  it  could  be  done  by  the  Courts. 
In  making  the  suggestion  I  sought  to  serve  all  the  parties 
concerned.  You  did  not  misconstrue  my  motives :  but  I 
understood  you  as  desiring  in  behalf  of  your  father's  rep- 
resentatives to  signify  your  thanks  to  me  for  my  agency 
in  closing  this  controversy  in  a  manner  to  which  nobody 
could  except,  who  looked  to  a  fair  settlement  of  it.  It 
resulted  in  relieving  vou  and  all  concerned  from  anxious 
and  protracted  litigation.  In  this  view  of  the  matter,  I 
accept,  with  great  pleasure,  the  present  you  propose. 

When  I  became  a  member  of  the  bar  of  ]N"orth  Carolina, 
I  was  very  poor.  I  had  no  wealthy  relative.  I  had  mar- 
ried a  wife  j)oor  as  myself.  At  that  time  your  father's 
pecuniary  condition  was  far  better  than  mine.  He  loaned 
me  money  when  he  knew  I  had  no  present  means  for  pay- 
ment, and  it  was  long  before  my  talent,  not  of  precocious 
order,  enabled  me  to  pay.  He  did  not  mortify  me  by  ask- 
ing for  payment  before  I  was  able  to  pay — and  I  did  not 


1164  XOKTIE    CAROI.I^•A    TTlSTOKICAL    COMMISSION. 

delay  payment  when  I  was  able  to  make  it.  Cordial  re- 
lations always  existed  between  us. 

With  these  views  I  accept  your  present  with  cordial 
thanks. 

Charlotte. 


To  J.  Turner. 

Feh.  25  1868. 

Railroad  matters.  I  believe  ill  practice,  the  Board  of  Internal  improve- 
ment, after  the  appointment  of  the  State's  proxy  and 
Directors,  has  regarded  itself  as  functus  officio^ — and  hence 
perhaps,  I  should  not  trouble  them  with  my  views:  but  I 
had  requested  Capt.  Berry,  at  the  annual  meeting  last 
July  to  offer  a  resolution,  looking,  without  prejudice  to  the 
freighter,  to  cai-ry  freight  the  longest  distance  possible 
on  the  Koads  in  which  the  State  is  interested,  not  as  an  inr- 
jury  to  any  other  corporation,  but  because,  as  I  conceived, 
the  interests  of  the  State  required  it  and  the  common  usage 
of  business  required  us  to  do  every  thing  possible  for 
the  State  and  not  working  wrong  to  it.  He  offered  such 
a  resolution  which  was  Q.Ao]}ie^— unanimously  I  am  in- 
foiTned.  I  am  informed  however  that  this  resolution  is 
rendered  inefficient  and  freights  still  leave  the  State 
Roads  at  Raleigh,  without  benefit  to  the  freighter  and  to 
the  great  loss  of  income  to  the  State  Roads,  by  reason  of 
certain  co-operative  plans  of  operation  between  the  Di- 
rectors on  the  ]^.  C.  R.  R.  and  the  R.  &  G.  R.  R.  I  am 
not  thoroughly  acquainted  with  the  details,  but  I  feel 
sure  our  people  would  prefer  to  patronise  the  State's 
Roads,  not  to  their  pecuniary  prejudice,  if  left  free  to 
act — and  I  learn  that  very  large  amounts  of  freight,  with- 
out benefit  to  the  freighter,  are  still  diverted ;  to  the  great 
detriment  of  the  State,  from  her  roads.  I  fear  the  Direct- 
ors on  the  ]Sr.  C.  R.  R.  are  not  carrying  out  fully  Capt. 
Berry's  resolution,  which  I  regard  them  as  officially  bound 


COKRESPONDEXCE    OF    Jo^fATIFAX    "Wojrril.  1105 

to  execute.  I  do  not  go  into  the  niodns — because  I  do  not 
fully  understand  it — but  I  believe  this  resolution  is  made 
inefficient  by  some  action,  or  non-action  on  the  part  of  the 
Directors  of  the  jST.  C.  R.  R.  which  I  Avill  endeavor  more 
clearly  to  understand  should  it  continue  to  be  my  duty 
to  look  after  the  interests  of  ^orth  Carolina  in  her  In- 
ternal Improvement  investments. 

I  do  not  believe  a  large  majority  of  freighters  would 
disregard  the  interests  of  the  State  if  the  Directors  of 
your  Board  were  in  earnest  in  carrying  out  Capt.  BeiTy's 
resolution. 

Company's  Shops. 


To  Will  lam  A.  Graham. 

Feb.  27  186S. 

^orth  Carolina,  you  know,  looks  to  you  as  her  leader 
in  the  present  stringency  of  political  affairs. 

Your  speech  at  the  late  Conservative  Convention  has 
not  been  published  and  many  are  ignorant  of  your  plans 
to  carry  out  your  views. 

It  is  generally  understood  that  you  accept  the  issue 
forced  on  us  whether  the  negro  or  the  white  man  is  to  be 
dominant,  and  that  you  accept  no  middle  ground. 

I  had  entertained  the  view  that  upon  some  qualified 
basis  of  property  or  intelligence,  negroes  should  be  al- 
lowed to  exercise  a  limited  political  power.  I  had  in- 
clined to  this  position — but  wdth  doubts  whether  we  should 
not  place  ourselves  on  the  broad  ground  that  this  is  a 
white  man's  government — and  that  white  men  only  must 
be  its  political  managers.  I  understand  you  as  having 
taken  the  latter  position. — Although  not  perfectly  satis- 
fied that  the  course  is  exactly  right  or  the  most 
politic — I  yield  my  doubts  and  I  shall  heartily  co-operate 
in  your  views,  being  satisfied  that  co-operation  is  indispen- 
sable to  enable  us  to  preserve  any  semblance  of  civil 
libertv. 


1166  XOUTIL    C'aKOI.I^'A    ITlSTOinCAL    CoMMissioisr. 

Assenting  then  to  the  position,  I  understand  you  as 
thinking  that  the  negro  is  to  have  no  part  in  the  civil  gov- 
ernment. 1  have  not  understood — and  do  not  understand 
— your  jjlans,  in  [Two  words  illegible~\  looking  to  the 
carrying  out  of  these  principles. 

I  know  that  it  is  contemplated  to  make  Vance  our  can- 
didate for  Govr.  in.  the  coming  election  under  the  recon- 
struction Congressional  plan. 
Hve  success"^*"' ^"  ^  concur  in  the  soundness  of  his  political  views  and 
know  his  efficiency  as  a  canvasser  and  if  this  object  be 
chiefly  to  put  him  in  opposition  to  canvass  the  State  and 
thus  defeat  the  adoption  of  the  Constitution  which  will 
be  proposed  to  us,  it  may  possibly  be  a  judicious  plan — 
but  I  have  been  unable  to  jdeld  my  entire  concurrence  in 
it.  The  genuine  object  is  to  defeat  the  adoption  of  the 
Constitution,  It  seems  to  me,  if  we  succeed  in  this,  we 
must  carry  with  us  a  large  portion  of  our  people  such  as 
are  to  be  found  in  Alamance,  Guilford,  and  elsewhere 
who  will  not  vote  for  him,  and  may  thus  be  induced  to 
vote  for  ratification.  If  we  are  to  choose  a  candidate  for 
Governor,  members  of  Congress,  and  bring  forward  as  our 
candidate  men  whom  the  great  body  of  our  people  will  sup- 
port wnth  enthusiasm,  but  whose  Avar  record  will  drive 
Goodloe,  Helper,  the  Quakers,  etc  into  the  support  of  the 
Radicals,  I  fear  we  will  fail  in  our  main  object.  No  good 
man  can  desire  to  be  elected  Governor  under  the  Consti- 
tution about  to  be  proposed  to  us.  I  would  myself  de- 
cline such  a  position — but  to  accomplish  our  object — the 
rejection  of  the  proposed  constitution — our  candidates 
should  be  most  equivocally  opposed  to  it — but  not  odious 
to  moderate — or  rather  equivocal  Radicals.  If  Goodloe- 
and  his  followers  be  entirely  driven  from  us,  we  shall  be 
beaten. 

The  drift  of  this  letter  may  lead  you  to  think  I  am  seek- 
ing the  nomination.  I  desire  nothing  so  much  as  repose- 
There  is  no  office  I  want — and  I  sincerely  hope  a  more  suit- 
able man  can  be  nominated — but  I  am  firmly  convinced,  if 
we  succeed,  our  nominee  must  be  somebody  whose  antece- 


CoKKESPO^'DEISrCE    OF    JoNATIIAN    WoRTH.  1107 

dents  are  of  the  character  of  my  own — and  I  have  been 
unable  to  think  of  any  body,  if  we  are  to  have  a  candidate 
for  Govr,  whose  name  will  suit  so  well  as  my  own — but 
you  must  not  let  this  frank  avowal  ( — immodest — or  pre- 
sumptions— you  may  deem  it)  mislead  you.  I  shall  co- 
operate with  you  in  the  nomination  you  may  make,  with 
all  my  might — and  while  I  would  not  refuse  the  use  of 
my  name,  if  I  know  myself  I  would  yield  to  its  use  from 
no  other  than  the  most  unselfish  patriotism. 

It  seems  to  me  that  we  ought  to  defer  any  concentra- 
tion on  our  candidates  for  the  present — until  we  see  the 
final  action  of  the  Convention  and  the  direction  of  the  late 
action  of  Congress. 

These  views  are  presented  for  your  personal  considera- 
tion— without  any  wish  or  expectation  of  an  answer,  with, 
perhaps,   imprudent   frankness. 


To  Z.  B.  Vance. 

EaleiCtH  Mar  2/68. 
I  hear  various  rumors  as  to  whether  you  will  consent  Advising  him  not 

"^  to  accept  nomijia- 

to  run  under  late  nomination.  tion  for  governor. 

I  hear  much  on  the  subject.  Very  many  of  those  act- 
ing with  us,  who  w^ere  ultra  Union  men,  greatly  disap- 
prove the  nomination.  While  we  all  know  that  you  don't 
want  to  be  elected — that  the  object  is  to  defeat  the  ratifica- 
tion of  the  Constitution,  and  that  there  is  not  a  man  in  the 
State  whose  power  with  the  masses  equals  yours,  very 
many  of  us  think  y-ou  ought  to  canvass  under  the  appear- 
ance of  entire  disinterestedness.  You  could  in  fact  be 
disinterested.  You  dont  ivani  to  he  elected  under  the 
Constitution.  'No  patriotic  man  would  desire  to  be 
elected  under  this  Constitution.  The  question  simply  is 
would  your  running  tend  to  defeat  ratification. 

I  think,  if  you  wull  not  canvass,  save  as  a  candidate,  it 
will  be  best  for  the  State  that  you  accept.     Your  services 


1168  NoKTii  Cakoi.ixa  TIistokical  Commissiox. 

as  a  popular  speaker  are  indispensable,  but  as  your  sincere 
friend  personally  and  politically,  I  think  you  ought  not  to 
be  placed  in  a  position  of  soliciting  election  to  an  otlicc 
you  don't  want^and  could  hardly  accept.  I  think,  if  you 
will  consent  to  render  the  State  yr  invaluable  services  in 
rousing  our  people  from  their  fatal  lethargy,  it  would  be 
more  agreeable  to  you,  and  more  efficacious,  that  you  ap- 
pear as  the  disinte rested  advocate  of  another. 

I  shall  sustain  you  openly  and  earnestly,  whatever  may 
be  your  decision — Imt  I  am  satisfied  you  can  render  more 
efficient  service  in  the  present  emergency,  and  a  service 
tending  more  to  the  elevation  in  future  due  to  your  talents 
and  patriotism,  by  canvassing  for  Lash,  Hanes  or  other 
man  of  like  political  stripe,  than  by  canvassing  for  your- 
self for  a  place  you  do  not  want.  Large  numbers  of  con- 
servative Quakers  in  Guilford,  Randolph  and  elsewhere 
and  many  others  of  like  views  over  the  whole  State,  will 
not  now  vote  for  you,  and  may  thus  be  prevented  fron) 
voting  on  the  main  question. 

I  have  not  been  consulted  at  all  on  this  matter  by  any 
body,  and  must  be  regarded  as  a  volunteer  in  expressing 
these  views. 

If  in  looking  to  the  votes  of  these  Quakers  and  others 
of  like  stripe,  we  are  likely  to  lose  many  voters  who  would 
ardently  support  you,  and  would  not  another  equally  con- 
servative, I  would  at  once  abandon  the  opinions  I  have  ad- 
vanced. My  great  object  is  to  use  the  most  efficient  means 
to  defeat  Radicalism. 

If  the  candidate  must  canvass  for  himself,  I  would  sug- 
gest Genl  Leach. 

If  my  name  should  be  thought  to  be  more  efficient  than 
that  of  Hanes,  Lash  or  other  person  of  like  political  stripe. 
it  may  be  used,  but  I  not  only  do  not  desire  it,  but  have 
aversion  to  it.  It  may  be  that  in  the  present  temper  of 
the  public  mind,  that  Edgecombe  and  other  parts  of  the 
State  of  like  views,  would  not  rally  under  Hanes  or  Lash 


COERESPONDENCE    OF    JONATHAN    WoKTlI.  11G9 

and  that  they  luould  sustain  me.  Fersormlly  I  prefer  that 
it  be  any  body,  rather  than  myself — ,  bnt  I  would  allow 
nothing  personal  to  interfere  with  the  main  object. 

I  am  afraid  the  frankness  of  this  communication,  even 
in  your  mind,  may  be  misconstrued, — which  would  be 
mortifying  to  me  but  the  wens  conscia  recti  which  has  al- 
ways sustained  me,  emboldens  me  to  obtrude  my  views  on 
you,  believing  you  will  consider  them  with  candor  and 
give  to  them  such  consideration  as  they  deserve. 

Charlotte. 


To  Josiah  Turner. 

Mar.  8  186S. 
I  desire  to  say  to  you,  for  you  to  use  as  you  may  think 
proper  among  our  friends  (not  for  the  press) that  if  Lash 
will  say  unmistakably  so,  that  he  regards  the  reconstruc- 
tion acts  as  unconstitutional,  and  that  he  is  opposed  to  the 
ratification  of  the  Constitution,  which  will  shortly  be  sub- 
mitted to  the  State,  that  his  name  will  be  the  best  one 
you  can  present  in  place  of  Vance's— and  further  that 
I  would  much  prefer  that  he  be  nominated,  than  that  / 
should.  If  our  friends  nominate  me  I  will  not  decline, 
but  I  decidedly  prefer  that  I  may  not  be  nominated. 


To  A.  S.  Alerrimon. 

Mar.  9  IS 68. 
I  hear  that  some  of  our  friends  speak  of  nominating  Declaring  his 

.1       /s,  ,•         r-i        T  ^    ,       f        /-^  ""  determination  not 

me  as  the  Conservative  Candidate  lor  Crovernor.  to  run  for 

.  .  •  1    c  Governor 

i  desire  to  say  m  unequivocal  form,  that  I  do  not  de- 
sire such  nomination. 

I  think  it  essential  to  the  main  object,  to-wit, — the  de- 
feat of  the  new  Radical  Constitution,  that  our  Candidate 
shall  have  a  good  Union  record — and  if  a  genteel  man 

Vol.  2—33 


1170  North  Carolina  Historical  Commission. 

can  be  found,  who  would  not  be  disfranchised  by  the 
Howard  amendment  and  who  is  not  a  Radical,  it  would  be 
most  politic  to  nominate  him. 

If  such  man  cannot  be  found  I  think  your  name  would 
be  eminently  acceptable  to  our  party,  and  personally  I 
would  much  prefer  that  you  be  nominated  instead  of  my- 
self— but — if  our  friends,  against  my  wishes,  deem  it 
best  to  nominate  me,  I  feel  that  I  ought  not  to  decline  the 
use  of  my  name. 
'  If  Lash  will  say  he  is  opposed  to  the  ratification  of  the 

Constitution  to  be  proposed  to  us,  I  think  he  is  the  man  to 
be  nominated. 
Raleigh,  iST.  C. 


To  E.  J.  Warren. 

Raleigh.  Mar.  10 /6S. 
I  received  some  weeks  ago  a  voluminous  report  of 
agents  of  General  Canby  touching  the  conviction  of  Jas. 
P.  Mitchell,  asking  me  to  pardon  him  on  the  ground  of 
uncertainty  whether  Allen  was  not  yet  alive.  The  l)ur- 
thcn  of  the  application  rested  on  the  alleged  ground  that 
the  proofs  (other  than  the  evidence  of  fellow  prisoners  of 
the  convict  of  bad  character)  left  it  very  doubtful  whether 
Allen  was  not  still  alive  and  consequently  averring  that 
there  was  no  proof  that  a  homicide  had  been  committed — • 
much  less  fixing  the  guilt  on  him.  His  petition,  herewith 
inclosed,  sets  forth  the  gist  of  the  military  application.  I 
sent  these  voluminous  papers  to  Mr.  Faircloth  (being  more 
accessible  than  yourself)  and  asked  his  commentary 
thereon.  He  replied  that  he  had  no  memoranda  of  the 
proofs  of  the  trial — but  that  he  thought  you  had — but 
stating  that  the  evidence  satisfied  him  on  the  trial  that 
the  prisoner  was  guilty.  I  refused  the  pardon.  Having 
reed  since  my  refusal,  the  inclosed  petition  from  the  pris- 
oner, I  shall  be  obliged  by  your  commentary  thereon,  to 
aid  me  in  the  exercise  of  the  discretion  intrusted  to  me. 


COKEESPONDENCE    OF    JONATHAN    WoRTH.  1171 

[P.  S.]  Since  writing  the  above  I  have  reed  letter 
from  Genl.  Canby  desiring  your  statement  of  the  facts 
which  were  proved  on  the  trial. 


To  William  A.  Graham. 

Ealeigh.  Mar  10  18G8. 

I  regarded  your  speech  before  the  late  Conservative  Conpemine  the 
Convention  as  placing  us  before  the  nation  and  the  world  nomination."'' 
in  not  only  a  defensible, — but  in  a  proud  attitude.  I 
concur  fully  in  all  its  views.  If  we  were  left  free  to 
form  a  constitution — and  the  negroes  were  not  banded 
against  the  whites,  I  would  grant  to  those  of  them  hold- 
ing a  given  amount  of  property,  the  right  to  vote.  This, 
I  think,  would  be  right  per  se — and  consequently  politic. 

If  I  am  nominated  for  Govr.  I  shall  accept,  but  from 
a  pure  sense  of  duty.  I  prefer  that  it  fall  on  Merrimon, 
or  any  other  man  equally  available.  I  am  afraid  my  can- 
dor niay  subject  me  to  the  suspicion  that  I  seeh  the  nomi- 
nation.— Very  far  from  it  is  the  truth.  I  will  feel  re- 
lieved if  another  equally  available  can  be  found,  who  will 
accept.  I  go  to  Randolph  to-day  and  shall  not  return  for 
a  week.  If  I  should  be  nominated,  I  would  not  be  present. 
I  have  written  a  note  to  Merrimon  that  I  prefer  that  he 
I)e  nominated  rather  than  myself.  The  real  object  is  to 
defeat  the  ratification  of  the  Radical  Constitution.  If  Lash 
will  say  he  opposes  its  ratification,  as  he  is  eligible  under 
the  Howard  amendment,  I  think  his  nomination  would  be 
more  available  that  Merrimon's  or  mine — and  on  this  con- 
<iition  I  favor  it. 

HlLLSBORO. 


1172  North  Carolina  Historical  Commission. 

To  A.  C.  C.  Worth. 

Raleigh,  N".  C.  Mar.  22  1868. 

Yours  of  the  10th  inst.  came  to  hand  last  night  cover- 
ing your  photograph  executed  in  the  best  style  of  the  art. 
Accept  my  cordial  thanks  for  it — but  I  was  more  pleased 
with  the  sentiments  of  your  letter  than  with  the  token  of 
your  regard  it  contained. 

I  had  previously  deemed  that  your  actions  prove  what 
you  say — that  you  are  ''striving  to  be  a  man"  [  Word  il- 
legible^ Worth  has  a  son  of  whom  his  father  may  be 
proud.  Nature  has  endowed  you  with  the  talent  to  suc- 
ceed in  the  object  of  your  vocation — and  I  am  rejoiced  to 
learn  that  your  are  falling  into  none  of  the  views  to  which 
youth  are  so  prone — that  you  have  the  ambition  necessary 
to  success,  tempered  by  all  the  rules  of  integrity  and  vir- 
tue essential  to  real  satisfaction  in  life  and  rational  hopes 
of  the  future.  He  is  really  a  great  man,  whether  occupy- 
ing elevated  position  or  not,  who  never  allows  the  tempta- 
tions continually  besetting  him  to  get  a  temporary  benefit, 
or  to  gratify  the  demands  of  passion,  to  disregard  the  rules 
of  sensible  integrity  or  the  other  laws  of  morality  which 
the  religion  we  profess  inculcates.  But  there  is  a 
happy  medium  in  all  things.  Industry,,  Tveligion,  every 
virtue  may  be  run  into  an  excess  nearly  as  reprehensible 
as  Indolence  and  the  other  opposing  views.  Since  Pope 
used  the  expression  "an  honest  man  is  the  noblest  work 
of  God",  the  expression  has  been  on  the  tongues  of  all 
men,  and  the  sentiment  of  mankind  has  endorsed  with 
equal  unanimity  the  homely  saying  (Dr.  Franklin's,  I  be- 
lieve) that  "Honesty  is  the  best  policy".  Resolve — in- 
flexibly resolve — whatever  temptations  may  beset  you,  to 
be  honest  in  all  things — And  you  cannot  fail  to  command 
the  respect  of  one  whose  esteem  will  be  of  more  value  to 
you  and  yield  you  more  comfort  than  all  the  honors  the 
fickle  multitude  can  confer  on  you.  I  mean — so  act  in 
all  things  as  to  command  your  own  self  respect. 


COKRESPONDENCE    OF    JONATHAN    WoRTH.  1173 

If  my  example  has  not  in  all  things  reached  this  high 
standard,  I  have  at  least  endeavored  to  act  on  these  prin- 
ciples— and  hope  I  have  not  fallen  further  short  of  my 
purpose  than  is  the  necessary  incident  of  human  frailty. 
I  have  used  no  unworthy  expedients  to  acquire  property  or 
popularity — and  think  the  results  in  my  case  confirm  the 
adage  that  "honesty  is  the  best  policy.  At  a  period  when 
the  misfortunes  of  our  people  made  them  look  for  a  safe 
leader,  without  effort  on  my  part,  I  was  elected  Governor — 
and  re-elected  without  regular  opposition.  No  other  Govr. 
was  ev^er  elected  in  this  State  without  an  opposing  candi- 
date. I  shall  shortly  retire  by  the  expiration  of  my  term ; 
or  by  removal  by  military  authority;  with  about  universal 
approbation.  The  only  policy  I  have  pursued  was  honesty 
— a  sincere  diligent  effort  to  discharge  all  my  duties  so 
as  to  have  a  conscience  not  reproaching  me  with  wrong 
to  any  of  my  fellow  men. 

N^Ew  YoEK  City. 


To  Dennis  Beartt.^ 

Kaleigh  Mar.  22  1868. 
W.  W.  Holden,  Solni.  Pool,  Deweese,  and  C.  L.  Harris 
sent  to  Genl.  Canby  a  petition  asking  that  Mr.  Hogan  be 
appointed  Shff.  of  Orange  instead  of  Mr.  Turner  recom- 
mended by  you  and  others,  I  have  recommended  the  ap- 
pointment of  Turner  on  the  ground  of  the  petition  signed 
by  you  and  others.  Genl.  Canby  sent  both  petitions  to 
me  for  my  remarks.  I  don't  know  his  decision.  You  will 
not  notice  this  in  your  paper,  but  I  do  not  object  to  your 
stating  the  facts,  or  showing  it  to  others. 

HiLLSBOEO. 


iThe  editor  of  the  Hillsboro  Recorder. 


1174  jSTokth  Carolina  Historical  Commission. 

To  James  Bush. 

Ealeigh  Mar.  25  1868. 
*  *  *  *  *  *  * 

You  will  perceive,  as  soon  as  you  read  the  new  Con- 
stitution that  if  it  be  adopted,  taxation  will  very  soon 
swallow  up  the  landholders  of  this  State. 
oi)inion  of  Ashe.  Ashc  is  a  good  mail — an  old  Union  Henry  Clay  Whig 
who  got  wrought  up  higher  than  you  or  I,  for  the  war, 
hut  the  choice  is  between  him  and  Holden,  who  has  al- 
ways lived  by  sectional  strife.  I  w^oiild  vote  for  Ashe  if 
the  new  order  of  things  allowed  me  any  vote.  If  you  can- 
not induce  our  friends  to  vote  for  him,  if  they  are  true 
peace  and  Union  men,  they  should  not  vote  for  the  prince 
of  Secessionists  and  agitation.  There  is  no  baser  man  than 
Holden  as  a  politician.  If  they  will  not  select  the  lesser 
of  what  they  regard  as  two  evils,  let  them  not  vote  at  all 
as  to  Governor.  If  w^e  are  not  to  become  Mexicanized  and 
lose  sight  of  civilization  and  \^Yord  iUegihle]  we  must 
put  down  the  proposed  Constitution.  Get  every  body  to 
vote  affainst  the  Constitution  whether  thev  will  vote  for 
Ashe  or  not. 


To  Z.  B.  Vance. 

Mar  25  1868. 

gubernatorial®  Yours   of  the  22nd  iust.   has  been  reed.      I   have  car- 

nomiiiation.  ^^-^^^  ^^^^  youv  sugcstioii,  as  far  as  I  think  I  can  prudently 

go,  in  a  letter  to  Genl.   Canby,  a  copy  of  which  will  be 

inclosed. 

I  am  sorry  that  I  was  not  in  your  dagu.  gallery  at  Ruth- 

erfordton.     It  would   have    done    me    good    to    see    the 

pictures. 

There  is  no  man  among  us  fitter  to  be  made  Governor 

than   Ashe — but  the   substitution  of  his  name  for  yours 

w^ill  not  help  us.     I  feel  relieved  at  being  out  of  the  ring, 


COKRESPONDENCE    OF    JONATHAN    AVOKTII.  117 

and  think  our  friends  did  right,  under  all  the  circum- 
stances, in  not  nominating  me.  Merrimon  or  some  one 
having  no  record — or  a  very  specific  record — and  who  is 
now  unmistakably  opposed  to  the  ratification  of  the  mon- 
ster constitution,  would  have  been  more  available.  I  fear 
the  Quakers  and  their  influence  will  not  go  for  Ashe. 
Many  of  them  might  have  been  induced  to  vote  for  a  nomi- 
nee suiting  us  as  well.  But  this  is  now  settle  d.  Hurrah 
for  Ashe. 

Every  good  man  in  the  State  owes  you  gratitude  for 
the  efi^ort  you  are  making  to  prevent  a  reign  of  scallawag- 
isni  in  X.  C. 

ClIAELOTTE. 


To  Colonel  J .  Y.  Bomford. 

Mar,  26  ISGS. 

I  leani  from  Secty.  Best  that  a  party  of  soldiers  who 
yesterday  brought  wood  into  the  Capitol  Square  for  the 
use  of  the  military  now  occupying  a  room  in  the  building, 
drove  their  wagon  against  one  of  the  iron  gate  posts  and 
broke  it  down.  Mr.  Best  says  he  saw  them  run  against 
the  post  and  break  it  down,  but  he  does  not  know  the 
names  of  the  parties : — that  he  requested  them  to  carry 
it  to  the  foundry  to  be  mended  which  they  refused.  I 
respectfully  request  that  you  investigate  the  matter  and 
cause  the  wrong-doers  to  pay  the  expense  of  rep.iirs. 

Raleigh. 


To  A.  S.  Kemp. 

Mar.  26  '6S. 

The  body  of  your  late  letter  which  reached  here  in  my 
absence,  was  attended  to  by  my  private  secty.  ITe  re- 
tained the  Post-Script  in  which  you  express  the  belief 
that  I  oucht  to  have  been  re-nominated  for  Govr. 


1176  NoKTii  Carolina  Historical  Commission. 

There  were  considerations  against  it.  If  I  were  nomi- 
nated it  was  feared  my  acceptance  of  the  nomination 
would  be  considered  by  Genl.  Canby  as  opposition  to  re- 
construction, and  that  I  would  be  immediately  removed 
and  an  odious  successor  appointed.  This  was  a  weighty 
consideration, — especially  if  the  new  Constitution  be  de- 
feated, which  all  good  and  sensible  men  ought  to  strive 
to  effect.  It  is  a  monstrosity.  Chaos  is  preferable  to  it. 
It  would  tie  us  as  to  reformation.  The  negroes  and  their 
meaner  co-adjutors  under  the  provisions  of  this  Constitu- 
tion would  always  defeat  amendment. 

I  did  not  personally  desire  the  nomination.  I  have 
been  twice  elected  by  the  voice  of  the  people — in  the  sec- 
ond election  without  regular  opposition — the  first  instance 
of  the  kind  in  our  history.  My  ambition  was  more  than 
satisfied.  If  our  friends  had  deemed  it  best  for  the 
State  to  run  my  name  in  this  contest,  I  would  have  con- 
sented to  it  from  motives  of  patriotism  only.  They  JiJieio 
I  did  not  personally  desire  the  nomination.  I  am  con- 
scioua  that  in  allowing  my  name  to  be  run  against  Hol- 
den  in  1865 — when  the  prospects  of  defeat  were  strong — 
and  in  all  my  subsequent  actions — I  have  acted  from  un- 
selfish motives — And  I  am  gratified  with  the  belief  that 
our  whole  people  accord  to  me  patriotic  motives,  and,  with 
the  exception  of  Holden,  feel  no  malevolence  against  me, 
and  it  is  not  improbable  that  my  name  would  have  been, 
as  you  think,  the  most  available  one  to  defeat  the  monster 
demagogue,  Holden:  but  I  am  not  sure  our  friends  did 
not  act  discreetly  in  the  premises.  I  think  there  should 
be  no  hesitation  in  preferring  Ashe  to  Holden — And  that 
no  good  man,  entitled  to  vote,  should  fail  to  vote  against 
the  Constitution. 

I  always  desired,  as  I  do  now,  to  support  the  Constitu- 
tion of  the  United  States.  When  the  State  arrayed  her- 
self against  it,  as  I  understood  it,  against  my  judgment, 
T  yielded  obedience  to  the  "powers  that  be"  and  therefore 
acted  with  fidelity  to  my  new   engagements.      I    desire 


COKRESPONDENCE    OF    JONATHAN    WoRTH.  1177 

Union  on  the  basis  of  the  Constitution — but  not  the  Union 
proposed  to  us  by  the  Radicals. 
Elizabeth  TOWN. 


To  George  Laivs.^ 

Mar.  27  1SG8. 

Yours  of  the  25th  iust.  came  to  hand  to-day  and  is 
forwarded  to  Genl.  Canby  with  request  for  prompt  action. 

He  lately  forwarded  to  me  for  my  remarks  a  petition 
signed  by  you,  Mr.  Bruce,  Mr.  Hiatt  and  others  recom- 
mending the  appointment  of  Turner.  Also  correspondence 
between  your  Bureau  officer  and  Genl.  Miles,  in  which 
the  officer  endorses  your  recommendation.  Also  a  peti- 
tion signed  by  W.  W.  Holden,  Deweese,  Sol.  Pool,  and 
C.  L.  Harris  recommending  the  appointment  of  a  Mr. 
Hogan.  I  replied  that  the  later  petitioners  were  parti- 
zans  and  non-residents  of  Orange,  excepting  Pool,  and  en- 
dorsing your  recommendation.  I  conclude  the  reference 
to  me  has  occasioned  some  delay  in  filling  the  office.  My 
letter  to  Genl.  Canby  was  sent  on  the  21st  inst. 

H1L1.SBORO. 


To  B.  S.  Hedrich 

Mar.  30  186S. 

Have  you  some  leisure  to  give  any  attention  to  my 
claim  for  rei:t  as  to  Governor's  mansion  ?  I  would  like 
that  the  case  be  fully  presented.  The  laws  of  the  State 
entitle  the  Governor  to  the  occupancy  of  the  mansion  as 
much  as  they  do  to  his  salary.  The  occupancy  of  the  mil- 
itary prevented  the  enjoyment  of  this  right.  I  have  been 
recognize^d,  at  least,  as  a  provisional  governor.  Does  it 
comport  with  the  dignity  of  the  U.  S.  to  occupy  the  house 


1  Clerk  of  the  Orange  Court. 


1178  North  Carolina  Historical  CoxMmissiojn. 

provided  for  the  residence  of  the  Governor,  and  thus  leave 
him  to  look  out  for  a  house,  and  pay  nothing  for  the  oc- 
cupancy ? 
Opinion  as  to  A  niaxiui  of  my  life  has  been  never  to  despair.     I  in- 

coiulitions  in  the  ,      ^ 

"'i''o°-  tend  to  adhere  to  it  to  the  last:  but  the  action  of  the  ma- 

jority of  Congress  on  the  question  of  the  Alabama  Con- 
stitution— the  apparent  acquiescence  in  this  action  by 
the  iSTorth ; — the  ignoble  action  of  the  Supreme  (A)urt, 
showing  that  the  judges  are  governed  only  by  the  motives 
which  control  the  ignoble  judges,  have  subjected  my 
maxim  to  a  severe  teste.  I  now  despise  the  occupants  of 
the  Supreme  Judicial  Tribunal  of  the  U.  S.  The  spell 
which  made  me  regard  them  as  the  surest  and  safest 
guaranty  of  civil  liberty, — is  gone.  The  judges  prove  to 
be  mere  mortals — carried  away  by  the  popular  current. 
The  reconstruction  acts  are  so  palpably  in  violation  of 
the  Constitution  of  the  U.  S.  that  no  sane  man  could 
hesitate.  The  judges  dare  not  so  declare.  The  vox  populi 
is  now  the  last  resort.  If  it  shall  sustain  the  powers  that 
be,  virtue  and  intelligence  and  honor  will  have  no  prop 
left  and  we  must  drift  into  a  revolution  which  the  eddy- 
ing currents  will  direct.  I  verily  believe  that  history 
furnishes  no  example  where  baser  men  have  acquired  con- 
trol— and  none  where  these  men  have  used  it  more  ex- 
clusively for  the  ignoble  pur])ose  of  mere  partizenship. 
I  have  not  a  particle  of  confidence  in  the  patriotism  or 
personal  honor  of  any  member  of  the  majority  in  Con- 
gress. I  respect  Thad.  Stephens  as  the  prince — admire 
his  manly  courage ;  but  despise  the  cringing  wretches 
whose  actions  are  governed  by  the  crack  of  his  whip. 

I  regard  with  terror  the  next  phase  in  our  political 
affairs,  and  on  mere  personal  grounds  would  fly  my  coun- 
try— but  have  decided  to  abide  the  fate  which  awaits  us. 
This  fate,— -I  believe — is  first  anarchy — and  then  despot- 
ism. Despotism  for  the  whole  United  States — now  prac- 
tically existing  in  the  Southern  States.  Although  there 
is  no  man  in  the  United  States  who  has  alwavs  more  ar- 


CORKESPONDENCE    OF    JoNATJIAN    WoKTJI.  1179 

deiitly  desired  to  preserve  the  Constitution  and  the  Union, 
than  I  have,  I  can  perceive  in  the  legislation  of  Congress 
nothing  but  party  domination.  Your  friend  Bingham 
v.'hom  I  had  regarded  as  not  utterly  debased  by  party  ties, 
is  now  struggling  to  be  placed  in  the  front  of  those  who 
would  ])ersecute  us.  I  regard  him  as  having  lost  all  moral 
principle,  and  hence  detest  him  more  than  I  do  the  prince 
of  darkness  whose  noble  traits  of  character  relieve  him 
from  petty  matters. 

I  have  indulged  in  free  expression  of  my  sentiments,  I 
grieve  over  the  fall  of  the  Supreme  Court.  Its  members 
must  be  despised  by  all  who  retain  any  manliness  of  sen- 
timent. I  abhor  the  Congress  which,  I  think,  meditates 
the  overthrow  of  Civil  liberty  as  established  by  our  con- 
stitution. 

You  will  regard  these  sentiments  as  uncharitable.  I 
solemnly  think  they  are  not.  I  do  not  believe  there  is  any 
honest  man  on  the  majority  benches  of  Congress,  unless 
it  may  be  a  few  silly  enthusiasts  form  an  exception. 

Wasiiingtois^,  D.  C. 


To  Benjamin  Lavender. 

Raleigh  A  pi  1^  1868. 

A  severe  indisposition  has  prevented  an  earlier  answer 
to  yours  of  the  30th  ult. 

.As  a  lawyer  I  presume  you  will  concur  with  me  (also 
formerly  a  lawyer)  that  the  Governor  can  do  nothing  of- 
ficially in  your  case.  In  its  present  condition  it  belongs 
to  the  judicial — not  the  executive  branch  of  the  State  gov- 
ernment. 

ISTo  man  can  feel  more  fully  than  I  do  that  your  case 
requires  the  protection  of  the  laws,  and  most  willingly 
will  I  give  any  aid  in  my  power  to  give  you  such  protec- 
tion, but  it  seems  to  me  you  could  file  your  complaint  on 
affidavit,  with  a  magistrate  of  the  County  in  which  the 


IISO  North  Caeolina  Historical  Commission. 

ofTence  was  committed,  and  if  he  shall  fail  to  issue  his 
warrant,  or  any  officer  bound  to  obey  it,  shall  neglect  his 
duty,  he  should  be  indicted.  The  Solr  for  the  State  can- 
not fail  to  send  a  bill  of  indictment  on  your  application, 
and  to  prosecute  with  vigor  an  outrage  so  wicked  and 
wanton. 

I  have  heard  much,  in  partizan  circles,  of  partiality 
I  on  the  part  of  our  judicial  officers,   in  favor  of  men  of 

Southern  sentiment  against  Union  men  and  negroes.  In 
every  special  case  to  which  my  attention  has  been  called, 
on  inquiry  I  have  found  such  complaints  without  color  or 
foundation.  'No  one  would  lament  more  than  I,  or  lend 
the  whole  force  of  his  official  and  personal  position  to 
punis:^h  any  instance  of  such  want  of  judicial  upright- 
ness. 

Assuming  that  you  know,  upon  the  facts  set  forth  in 
your  letter,  that  I  have  no  official  authority  to  take  any 
official  action  (if  you  should  not  think  so  please  explain 
what  you  think  I  can  rightfully  do)  it  occurs  to  me  as 
possible  that  you  think  I  ought  to  ask  for  the  extraordi- 
nary interference  of  the  military  now  exercising  domin- 
ion over  us.  With  my  present  views  I  cannot  do  this.  If 
your  purpose  is  to  ask  me  to  call  on  the  military  in  aid  of 
the  civil  authorities  please  explain  how  you  think  I,  elected 
as  Civil  Governor,  may  properly  do  this,  especially  where 
no  evidence  is  furnished  of  any  deviation  of  duty  on  the 
part  of  the  judicial  authorities  of  the  State. 

I  feel  personally  very  solicitious  to  give  you  any  aid.  I 
can  properly  use  to  bring  to  just  punishment  the  perpe- 
trator of  the  grievous  wrong  done  to  you. 

Littleton. 


COKKESPONDENCE    OF    JoXATIIAN    WoRTK.  1181 

To  John  McCor-mick. 

RiVLEIGH.  Apl  Jf  ISOS. 
*  *  *  *  *  *  * 

I  am  gratified  to  find  our  people  waking  up  to  their 
political  prospect.  If  the  plans  of  Congress  shall  be  car- 
ried out  we  are  an  utterly  ruined  people.  If  the  negroes 
and  the  meaner  whites  are  to  rule  and  the  most  intelligent 
of  our  people  to  be  excluded  from  office:  If  such  base 
scamps  as  Holden,  Rodman,  etc.  are  to  hold  the  highest 
offices,  and  we  are  to  pay  the  taxes  required  by  the  pro- 
posed Constitution,  the  property  of  the  people  of  this 
State  must  pass  into  other  hands.  Surely  the  taste  of 
Kadiealism  which  your  people  get  in  the  per  diem  bill  and 
mileage  of  the  Convention — and  particularly  the  rascally 
greediness  of  Turner,  will  insure  to  Conservatism  every 
white  man's  vote  in  Harnett^ — excepting  the  poor  devils 
who  seeh  office  to  steal  the  people's  money. 

IIaenett  C.  H. 


To  Sion  II.  Rogers. 

Ealeigii  Apl  5  1868. 

Please  read  inclosed  letter — and  if  you  think  you  can 
make  any  suggestion  to  the  petitioner,  please  communicate 
it  to  me.  I  know  of  nothing  I  can  do,  as  Governor,  in 
the  premises. 

Please  return  the  letter  to  me.  If  you  choose  to  make 
any  suggestion  you  can  endorse  it  or  attach  it  to  the  letter. 

I  presume  you  know  the  writer.    I  do  not. 

Raleigh. 


iThe  delegate  from  Harnett  county  who,  living  only  thirty  miles 
from  Raleigh,  certified  to  524  miles. 


1182  i^ORTir  Caholina  Histokical  Commission. 

To  Gains  Wln7iinfj]tam. 

Raleigh  Apl  5  1868. 

It  distresses  me  that  the  continual  pressure  of  public 
responsibilities  makes  it  impossible  for  me  to  keep  np  cor- 
respondence with  my  life  long  friends. 

The  new  government  proposed  for  us  denies  to  me,  who 
am  now  and  always  was  a  better  Union  man  than  any 
body  who  now  abuses  me,  the  right  to  vote  or  to  hold 
office.  Under  it  I  am  not  eligible  as  a  constable,  but  my 
late  slaves — Don,  Jordan,  etc.,  can  vote  and  may  be 
elected  to  any  office. 

The  new  government  requires  the  imposition  of  taxes 
amounti?ng  to  confiscation. 

If  any  white  man,  not  an  office  seeker,  can  be  found 
willing  to  adopt  such  a  Constitution,  he  must  be  a  natural 
fool — and  any  man  willing  to  ask  for  office  under  the  terms 
of  the  proposed  constitution  is  a  wretch  whose  posterior 
every  honest  man  ought  to  kick. 


To  Colonel  W.  G.  Moore. 

Raleigh,  Apl.  Slh  1S6S. 
Case  of  Toiar,  etc.  Papers  on  file  with  the  President  show  (undisputed  by 
any  body)  that  some  18  months  ago  a  negi'o  named  Beebe 
attempted  to  commit  a  rape  on  a  young  lady  in  sight  of 
Fayctteville  as  she  was  returning  from  church  on  Sunday. 
Her  character  was  above  reproach.  Her  screams  called  to 
her  rescue  an  old  negress  living  hard  by,  whereby  his 
fiendish  purpose  was'  frustrated.  The  negro  was  arrested 
next  morning — immediately  identified  by  the  intended 
victim  and  the  old  negress.  The  exciting  circumstances 
drew  together  a  large  multitude  at  the  preliminary  trial. 
He  was  ordered  to  jail  in  default  of  bail.  On  the  trial 
the  neck  of  the  young  lady  was  exposed  by  way  of  con- 
firming her  statement  that  the  monster  had  chocked  her 


COKRESPONDENCE    OF    JONATHAN    WoKTH.  1183 

to  suppress  her  cries.  It  was  Lruised  and  lacerated. 
While  in  custody  on  the  way  to  jail  some  one  shot  him 
through  the  head  and  he  died  immediatel}'.  A  criminals 
mqucst  was  held.  There  was  much  conflict  in  the  evi- 
dence and  the  jury  reported  that  they  could  not  decide 
who  fired  the  fatal  shot.  [T]ie  rest  of  the  ■page  cannot  be 
read.'\ 

One  Phillips  was  accused  of  the  killing  of  Beehe.  The 
prosecution  released  him  and  made  him  a  witness.  lie 
proved  that  Tolar  fired  the  fatal  shot  and  his  testimony 
was  confirmed  by  some  negToes  and  perhaps  others — 
while  other  witnesses  of  unquestionable  character  swore 
positively  that  they  saw  Phillips  shoot  the  fatal  shot.  The 
respectable  and  intelligent  citizens  of  Fayetteville  do  not 
believe  that  the  convicts  are  guilty.  I  am  satisfied  that  the 
prosecution  was  conducted  with  great  vindictiveness  by 
the  accuser  and  judge  advocate,  Genl.  Avery,  and  that  the 
verdict  was  not  warranted  by  the  evidence,  and  that  there 
was  evidence  against  Watkins  &  Powers  which  gave  color 
of  justice  to  the  verdict. 

I  am  satisfied  that  Tolar  is  a  man  of  exemplary  charac- 
ter— a  member  in  good  standing  of  a  religious  society 
and  of  the  Masonic  order.  He  is  a  man  of  family — his 
small  yn-operty  all  exhausted  in  his  defence. 

Assuming  that  the  defendants  are  guilty,  their  crime 
did  not  spring  from  maligiiity.  I  earnestly  hope  the 
President  will  at  once  pardon  them.  Petitions  are  on 
your  files  signed  by  vast  numbers  of  our  citizens  praying 
for  their  pardon — and  if  there  be  one  man  in  the  State — 
black  or  white — opposed  to  their  pardon,  I  have  not  heard 
of  such  person. 

This  letter  may  be  filed,  if  the  President  will  grant  the 
pardon.  It  is  addressed  to  you  because  the  President's 
time  must  be  so  occupied  with  his  defence  and  other  of- 
ficial duties  that  I  fear  this  just  act  of  beneficence  will 
be  overlooked,  if  you.  do  not  take  interest  enough  in  it  to 
call  the  President's  attention  to  it.     I  do  not  write  this 


1 184  NoKTii  Cakolina  Historical  Commission. 

letter  at  the  instance  of  anybody.  My  feelings  have  been 
thoroughly  moved  by  the  fact  which  has  incidentally  come 
to  ray  knowledge,  that  Capt.  Tolar,  whom  I  believe  to  be 
a  good  man,  of  noble  impnlses,  is  sinking  into  despair. 

I  feel  the  most  intense  interest,  for  the  sake  of  Consti- 
tutional liberty — and  for  the  honor  of  the  name  of 
America,  that  at  least  one-third  of  the  Senate  may  allow 
the  impnlses  of  honor  and  virtue  to  restrain  their  partisan 
proclivities — ^but  I  confess  the  subserviency  of  the  Su- 
preme Court  of  the  United  State,  in  the  firmness  of  which 
I  had  till  lately  confided,  gives  no  hope  for  the  future  ex- 
cept in  the  voice  of  the  masses — and  when  the  voice  is 
heard  by  universal  suffrage,  I  feel  terrible  apprehensions 
that  anarchy  is  not  far  distant. 

Washington,  D.  C. 


To  8.  S.  Jaclson. 

Kaleigm  a  pi  9  1868. 

Snst"fhe'*new ''        ^  entertain  no  doubt  that  if  I  were  to  go  to  New  Salem 
Constitution.  j^^^j  make  a  speech  against  the  new  Constitution,  I  would 

be  immediately  removed  from  office.  There  would  be  no 
justice  in  said  action.  The  legislature  professes  to  leave 
us  free  to  choose ;  but  we  know  that  all  the  authorities 
demand  that  we  favor  ratification.  I  look  upon  the  Con- 
stitution as  a  virtual  confiscation  of  the  lands  of  the  State. 
Most  of  it  must  soon  change  hands  under  the  taxation  re- 
quired by  this  proposed  Constitution.  The  fountains  of 
Justice  will  be  corrupted  by  the  Judiciary  system  pro- 
posed, and  the  universal  suffrage  feature,  with  the  re- 
movals from  office  prescribed  by  the  Howard  amendment, 
would  leave  property  and  character  and  virtue  unpro- 
tected. Every  impulse  of  my  nature  impels  me  to  use 
all  the  influence  I  possess  to  defeat  a  scheme  I  deem  so 
utterly  ruinous — but  I  feel  that  I  owe  it  to  those  who 
elected  me  and  that  I  can  best  contribute  to  preserve  our 


II 


CoKRESPONDi.JNOE    OF    JoNATHAN    WoRTH.  1185 

jiijerticri  by  holding'  on  to  my  position  as  long  as  I  can  with- 
out dishonor.  In  this  view  I  decided  long  ago  to  make 
no  speech  and  publish  uo  address  against  the  re-construc- 
tion acts  as  they  are  falsely  called.  If  I  thought  or  should 
think,  that  it  is  necessary  to  a  defeat  of  the  Constitution 
that  I  surrender  my  office,  I  would  not  hesitate  a  moment. 
With  my  present  views  I  decline  to  address  the  people  of 
Xcw  Salem  and  neighborhood. 

ASHEBOEO. 


To  A.  M.  Tomlliisoii  tt  Sons. 

Raleigh  A  pi  lllh  1868. 
******* 

I  regard  the  proposed  new  constitution  as  virtual  con-  opinion  of  the  new 

I-,  .  -.-r  IT  ^  •^^       f  Constitution. 

iiscation.  JNo  government,  based  on  the  will  oi  mere  num- 
bers, irrespective  of  intelligence  or  virtue,  can  last  long. 
Providence  has  so  ordered,  it  that  a  majority  of  mankind 
are  improvident.  Self  interest  is  a  ruling  principle  of  our 
frail  nature  and  hence  the  non-property  holder  will  be 
antagonistic  to  the  property  holder.  Civilization  consists 
in  the  possession  and  protection  of  property.  If  we  can- 
not defeat  the  adoption  of  the  proposed  Constitution  the 
principle  will  be  triumphant  that  those  who  have  no  in- 
terest in  the  protection  of  property  and  the  preservation  of 
order,  wall  be  the  ruling  power. 

[P.  S.]  Literary  documents  are  occasionally  sent  to  me 
w^hich  I  have  not  time  to  read.  I  would  like  to  send  some 
of  them  to  our  friend  Moore,  but  don't  remember  his  given 
name.  Don't  let  that  arch  villian  A.  W.  Tourgee  get  on 
your  blind  side. 

Bush  Hill. 


Vol.  2—34 


1186  NoKTH  Carolina  Histohical  Commission. 

To  Solomon  Moss. 

Kaleigii,  Apl  13/68. 

The  lawyer,  Tbos.  II.  ^.  McPherson,  in  AVashiugton 
City,  under  date  of  the  9th  inst,  sent  a  note  to  B.  S.  Hed- 
riek,  through  whose  agency  McPherson  was  employed,  of 
which  I  inclose  a  copy.  I  have  been  at  considerable 
trouble  in  presenting  your  claim  and  making  the  proofs 
required.  As  soon  as  one  requirement  is  met  a  new  one 
is  presented.  I  turn  over  the  matter  to  you  and  such 
counsel  as  you  may  employ  in  Indiana.  I  never  desired 
or  expected  any  compensation  for  my  services  and  have 
lost  all  confidence  and  respect  for  the  authorities  in  AVash- 
ing-ton  having  this  matter  in  charge.  Their  conduct  is 
not  frank  and  honest  and  I  wish  to  have  nothing  more  to 
do  with  them. 

I  have  from  time  to  time  proved  all  that  they  required 
until  the  case  showed  them  what  could  not  he  truthfully 
proved,  and  then  they  require  this  proof.  I  think  you 
had  better  employ  some  Radical  to  prosecute  your  claim 
— but  advise  you  not  to  give  him  your  indentures  or  pay 
him  anything  except  on  condition  of  his  getting  some- 
thing for  you. 

Do  you  intend  to  redeem  your  watch  ? 
*  *  *  *  *  *  * 

[P.  S.]  If  you  cannot  get  the  bounty,  I  suppose  the 
brothers  and  sisters  of  the  deceased  are  entitled.  T  am 
thoroughly  disgusted  wnth  the  shifting  quibbles  to  which 
the  officials  resort  in  your  case,  and  hope  your  future  agent 
will  correspond  with  Mr.  McPherson.  I  wish  to  have 
nothing  more  to  do  with  the  quibbling  scoundrels,  who 
appear  to  be  fit  representatives  of  the  hypocritical  crew 
now  running  the  national  machine. 

Ixdiaxapolis,  Indiaxa. 


Correspondence  of  Jonathan  Worth.  1187 

To  Willlcim  Clarh. 

Kaleigh  Ajol  13  1808. 

I  recogTiise  in  Sister  Louisa's  injunction  that  you  and 
I  quit  writing  about  the  negro,  the  practical  good  sense 
which  I  think  characterises  our  family,  and  therefore 
will  only  say  that  I  feel  intense  abhorrence  and  dis- 
gust at  the  schemes  of  Radicalism  which  seek  to  pei-pctu- 
ate  their  party  domination  by  Union  Leagues  of  negroes 
and  baser  white  men — which  seeks  to  make  the  lowest 
ignorance,  instead  of  intelligence,  the  ruling  power  in  the 
South.  I  abhor  and  despise  a  party,  which  for  party 
domination,  gives  to  the  basest  and  most  ignorant  negTO 
the  right  to  vote  and  hold  office,  but  denies  to  me  and 
thousands  of  others,  better  LTnion  men  than  any  one  who 
favors  this  silly  and  wicked  policy,  any  voice  in  the  gov- 
ernment under  which  we  are  to  live.  All  of  us  who 
struggled  to  preserve  the  Union  nntil  it  was  supplanted 
by  another  government  here  and  who  then  obeyed  the 
scripture  injunction  to  obey  the  powers  that  be,  are  con- 
demned in  common  with  the  original  agitators  and  only 
made  eligible  to  office  by  swearing  lies,  which  most  Radi- 
■cals  swallow  with  zest.  I  always  hated  Secession,  because 
it  tended  to  Disimion.  I  hate  Radicalism  still  worse  be- 
cause it  tends  more  to  Disunion.  I  have  always  loved  the 
Quakers — but  so  far  as  they  now  unite  with  Radicalism, 
I  abhor  and  detest  them,  as  I  do  all  other  Radicals.  I 
know  no  Radical  (unless  he  be  a  simpleton)  whose  mo- 
tives I  respect. 

For  months  past  I  have  generally  been  confined  to  my 
house  by  indisposition — At  present  my  health  is  much 
improved — I  am  quite  restored.  I  expect  to  retire  from 
political  life,  and  feel  quite  at  sea  as  to  the  future  Provi- 
dence may  allow  to  me.  ^N'early  all  I  have  is  real  estate. 
Under  the  government  Radicalism  forces  on  us,  land  can 
lye  sold  only  at  a  nominal  price.  Agriculture  can't  flourish 
when  every  pig  and  cow  and  sheep  is  stolen  by  some  in- 
■dolent  negro  protected  in  his  indolence  and  villainy  by  a 


1188  jS'oKTii  Carolina  Historical  Commissjon. 

set  of  poor  devils  paid  by  the  government  to  foster  hos- 
tility to  the  whites  and  protect  thtm  by  the  bayonet  against 
just  punishment  for  their  crimes,  and  to  furnish  them 
from  the  national  Treas.  all  they  can't  steal.  I  don't  per- 
ceive how  I  can  get  away : — nor  any  chance  to  live  here : 
and  I  think  I  see  in  the  antagonism  of  races  which  par- 
tizanism  encourages  for  the  sake  of  party  domination, 
internecine  war  not  far  ahead.  I  am  undecided  what  I 
can  do — or  how  any  of  us  can  make  a  living  here,  if  the 
North  j)ersevere  in  her  policy  of  making  the  negro  the 
dominant  power  here — a  race  wholly  incompetent  to  gov- 
ern, if  history  is  to  be  respected  in  forming  a  conclusion. 

The  adoption  of  the  new  negro  Constitution  is  advocated 
by  the  negroes  as  a  unit  and  Holden,  Rodman,  and  other 
Secession  allies  and  Pool,  and  Dockery,  and  Settle  and 
other  base  scoundrels  who  hope  to  attain  ascendency 
through  negro  votes,  co-operate  with  them.  The  contest  is 
a  doubtful  one. 

Our  family  is  generally  enjoying  good  health — some  of 
us  making  a  living,  other  consuming  the  earnings  of  for- 
mer years  and  hoping  for  something  better  "to  turn  up." 

Economy,  Indiana. 


To  C.  B.  Mallett. 

Raleigh,  Apl  21  1868. 

Yours  of  the  ITth  inst.  reached  me  by  to-day's  mail. 

I  know  nothing,  not  known  to  the  public,  as  to  Genl. 
Canby's  intention  to  confirm  the  legislative  ordinances  of 
the  Convention.  In  this  period  of  Revolution  I  have 
little  confidence  in  any  rules  of  construction,  based  on 
precedent.  I  do  not  concur  in  Mr.  Haughton's  views — 
but  I  have  little  confidence  in  my  own  or  any  body  else's 
constructions — and  do  not  feel  that  I  can  conscientiously 
advise  you — I  have  had  no  opportunity  to  examine  the  or- 
dinance of  the  Convention  touching  vour  Road.     It  seems 


Correspondence  of  Jonathan  Worth,  ]  189 

to  me  that  neither  the  Genl.  Assembly  at  its  last  session, — 
nor  the  Convention,  contemplated  the  payment  of  the  State 
liabilities — contemplated  bj  their  legislation.  I  regard 
all  this  legislation  as  for  buncombe: — If  something  may 
be  realised  tending  to  build  your  road,  you  must  judge 
whether  it  is  expedient  to  realise  this  something.  As  I 
understand  it  now,  no  bonds  will  be  issued  under  the  ordi- 
nance to  which  you  refer,  until  Genl.  Canby  shall  ratify 
the  ordinance.  Whether  the  Governor  and  the  State 
Treasurer  will  respect  his  ratification  (having  had  no  con- 
sultation with  the  Pub.  Treas.)  I  cannot  say. 

Looking  to  the  interests  of  your  Road,  as  explained  by 
you,  I  suppose  you  had  better  ask  Genl.  C's.  ratification, 
and  leave  us  to  act  as  best  we  may. 

Fayetteville. 


To  Colonel  J.  Y.  Bomford. 

Ealeigh,  Matj  Isl  1S6S. 

I  am  pained  to  learn  this  morning  that  you  have  been 
displaced  as  Commandant  of  this  Post. 

During  the  entire  period  of  your  command  here  I  have 
had  much  personal  and  official  intercourse  with  you ;  and 
candor  requires  I  should  say  that  my  unqualified  repug- 
nance to  the  legislation  of  Congress,  which  you  were  re- 
quired to  execute,  did  not  predispose  me  to  regard  your 
action  with  undue  favor ;  but  I  deem  it  due  to  you,  and  to 
justice,  to  say  to  you  on  retiring,  that  I  heartily  concur 
in  the  judgment  of  every  virtuous  and  intelligent  man  in 
this  community,  that  your  whole  conduct,  official  and 
social,  has  been  such  as  becomes  a  veteran  officer  of  the 
United  States  Army — always  strictly  performing  your 
duty — always  urbane — and  escheAving  partizan  politics  so 
thoroughly  that  I  do  not  know  what  are  your  party  prede- 
lictions,  if  you  have  any. 

I  make  this  voluntary  testimonial  to  you  as  an  act  of 
sheer  justice. 


1190  NoKTH  Carolina  Historical  Commission. 

Iloping  that  your  manly  virtue  may  be  duly  appreciated 
wherever  you  may  go,  and  that  prosperity  and  hap])iness 
may  constantly  attend  you,  I  have  the  honor  to  be,  etc. 

Raleigh. 


To  B.  S.  Hedriclc. 

May  1  1868. 
Can  you  gather  from  the  under  currents  whether  meas- 
ures will  be  taken  to  install  Holden  and  his  associates  at 
an  earlier  date  than  contemplated  by  existing  Legislation  ? 
They  are  panting  to  get  in ;  and  I  have  never  doubted  that 
Congress  would  at  once  remove  their  disabilities,  as  they 
would  at  once  white  wash  the  Devil,  if  they  deemed  it 
necessary   to   the   advancement   of  TJadioalism, 

AA^ASHINGTOX.  D.   C. 


To  M.  E.  SJiowninn. 

Raleigh.  May  2  1808. 

Yours  of  the  30th  ult.  in  which  you  say  "the  accompany- 
ing address  has  been  sent  hither  from  friends  in  England 
for  circulation.  If  willing  to  distribute  some  of  them 
among  those  to  whom  they  are  respectively  addressed  thou 
will  oblige  by  doing  so,  and  will  please  advise  how  many 
of  each  thou  could  use  in  this  way." 

One  only  of  each  of  the  addresses  was  enclosed,  which  I 
have  read  with  the  careful  consideration  which  I  always 
give  to  publications  emanating  from  your  Society.  I  do 
not  doubt  the  sincere  design  of  the  writers  to  contribute  to 
the  very  wise  and  benevolent  object  which  they  contem- 
])late:  but  they  proceed  on  the  mistaken  apprehension  that 
the  late  owners  of  the  slaves  of  the  South  feel  unfriendly 
to  the  advancement  of  the  freedmen.  Until  our  conquer- 
ors, under  cover  of  the  military  power  of  the  U.  S.,  allowed 
and  encouraged  the  banding  together  of  the  negroes  into 


Correspondejstce  of  Jonathan  AVokth.  1191 

4 

Loyal  leagues,  iu  order  to  concentrate  their  votes,  to  per- 
petuate the  ascendency  of  the  present  dominant  pai'ty, 
there  was  more  kindness  and  sympathy  for  them  by  their 
late  masters  than  by  any  body  else.  Since  Northern  par- 
tizanship  has  banded  them  together  against  the  whites  the 
antagonism  of  races,  which  is  the  natural,  if  not  the  in- 
tended result,  is  disclosing  itself.  This,  if  not  corrected, 
will  ultimately  terminate  in  the  extinction  of  one  race  or 
the  other. 

I  will  with  pleasure  distribute  more  of  the  addresses,  if 
sent  to  me. 

PjIILADET.PniA,    Pa. 


To  Dr.  J.  G.  Bamsey. 

Raleigh^  May  2  1868. 

Your  long  and  friendly  letter  of  the  30th  ult.  is  just 
received  and  conveys  to  me  the  very  first  intimation  that 
there  is  any-body  iu  this  State  thinking  of  another  conflict 
of  arms  to  maintain  our  notions  of  our  ISTational  rights. 
Any  such  design,  if  it  exist,  must  be  confined  to  a  very 
small  number  whose  enthusiasm  has  got  dominion  over 
common  sense. 

I  have  a  fixed  conviction  that  when  the  rebellion  was  constitutional 

mutters. 

suppressed  each  of  the  States  engaged  )n  the  Rebellion, 
was  entitled  to  its  rights  under  the  Constitution.  There 
might  well  exist  some  doubts  as  to  the  proper  mode  of  re- 
organising the  machinery  of  State  government.  I  thought 
it  should  have  been  done  through  the  agency  of  the  de 
facto  State  government — but  it  was  an  anomalous  question 
and  I  yielded  to  the  Lincoln-Johnson  plan.  Consequently 
I  felt,  at  the  end  of  the  rebellion,  that  I  owed  my  allegi- 
ance to  the  U.  S.,  bound  to  obey  and  entitled  to  the  pro- 
tection of  the  Constitution  of  the  L^.  S.  I  felt  that  obli- 
gation quite  as  binding  on  me  Ijefore  as  after  the  renewed 
oath  I  took  to  support  the  Constitution  of  the  LT.   S.      I 


1192  NoKTii  Carolina  IIistoeical  Commission. 

have  regarded  the  body  claiming  to  be  the  Congress  and 
excluding  10  States  of  the  Union,  as  a  Revolutionary  body, 
exercising  powers  not  granted  by  the  National  Compact. 
I  have  regarded  and  now  regard  the  whole  of  the  legisla- 
tion, called  reconstruction,  as  unconstitutional  and  Revo- 
lutionary.— I  regard,  therefore,  the  call  of  a  Convention 
in  this  State  under  military  auspices  and  dictating  what 
must  be  done  to  entitle  us  to  the  benefit  of  the  Constitution 
of  the  U.  S.,  as  unconstitutional — and  as  a  conscientious 
man,  believing  the  Convention  to  be  unconstitutionally 
called,  I  would  not  have  given  my  sanction  to  its  call  by 
voting  to  ratify  its  action,  even  if  I  had  regarded  its  action 
as  wise.  But  apart  from  universal  suffrage,  even  il 
coupled  with  universal  amnesty,  I  would  not  sanction  it 
by  any  action  of  mine — much  less  would  I  sanction  the 
provisions  of  the  Constitution  touching  the  judiciary — and 
the  apprehension  that  something  worse  would  result  from 
refusal  to  ratify  would  have  had  no  influence  on  my 
action. 

[P.  S.]  I  stand  upon  the  Constitution  of  the  U.  S. 
and  will  in  no  way  give  my  sanction  to  any  measure,  which, 
in  my  judgment  requires  me  to  violate  my  solemn  duty  to 
support  it. 

Rowan  Mills. 


To  8.  8.  Jackson. 

Raleigh^  May  Jf  ISOS. 

Yours  of  the  1st  inst.  is  received. 

I  regard  it  as  about  settled  that  the  control  of  our 
State  affairs  is  transferred  to  the  control  of  those  who 
have  no  property,  and  consequently  no  concern  for  the 
general  welfare — while  the  action  of  the  Convention  has 
vastly  increased  the  State  debt  for  objects  never  likely  to 
return  revenue  to  the  Treasury,  while  they  require  a  tax 
to  be  imposed  to  meet  the   interest.     The  public  taxes. 


Correspondence  of  Jonathan  Worth.  1193 

State,  ]S[atioiial,  County  and  municipal,  if  no  more  direct 
means  be  adopted,  seem  to  me  to  threaten  to  destroy  the 
property  holder.  And  consequently,  as  this  state  of  af- 
fairs cannot  be  changed  at  the  ballot  box,  at  an  early  day, 
if  at  all,  especially  when  so  many  of  our  people,  who  have 
property,  have  allowed  partizanship  to  take  away  their 
brains,  the  temptation  to  leave  the  State  is  very  strong',  if 
there  be  any  place  to  which  we  could  fly  and  escape  these 
evils.  Where  can  we  go  ?  We  can  escape  negro  domina- 
tion by  settling  in  any  part  of  the  dominions  of  our  mas- 
ters— and  I  would  prefer  this,  if  I'  could  dispose  of  my 
property  here  at  anything  approaching  its  value.  At 
present  I  see  no  hope  of  realising  any  thing  of  conse- 
quence from  real  estate.  If,  from  any  cause,  we  could 
sell  our  real  estate,  at  any  thing  like  a  fair  price,  I  would 
fly — to  some  of  the  British  dominions ;  but  as  we  cannot 
sell  noiu,  it  is  inexpedient  to  say  what  we  would  do,  if  we 
could  sell.  Possibly  Radicalism  triumphant,  may  bring 
immigration  and  enable  us  to  sell.  In  this  case  I  would 
go  to  Honduras  or  California.  If  we  cannot  emmigrate 
we  must  manage  our  boat  among  the  breakers  and  try  to  be 
the  most  skillful  navigators  in  the  storm.  Whatever  the 
government  I  hope  we  shall  be  able  to  take  care  of  our- 
selves. And  if  we  are  compelled  to  remain  here,  (as  I 
think  we  shall  be)  I  think  we  can  manage  our  boat  as  well 

as  any  body  else. 

*  ****** 

ASheboeo. 


To  Nathaniel  Boyden. 

Ealeigh.  May  Jf  1S6S. 
T  inclose  a  letter  from  S.  F.  Burkhead.   I  cannot  inter- 
fere in  his  behalf  without  some  satisfactory  testimonial  in 
his  behalf.      Ho  refers  to  jou.     Will  you  please  inform 
me  Avhat  you  know  of  him. 


I 


1194  XoRTii  Cakolina  Historical  Commission. 

I  am  rejoiced  that  jou  are  elected  to  Congress.  If  the 
conservatives  had  nominated  the  whole  corps  of  candidates 
out  of  men  of  your  antecedents  the  result  of  the  election 
would  ]ir()l)al)ly  have  been  different.  Our  Secession 
friends  exhibit  injudicious  haste  to  occupy  front  seats. 

S.VT.IST^rRY. 


To  W.  J.  Yates. 
Personal.  .  Raleigti,  May  5  18G8. 

Your  late  editorial/  which  has  been  generally  if  not 
universall}'  copied  by  the  press  of  the  State,  expressing 
your  conviction  that  my  administration  has  been  faithful 
and  patriotic,  considering  your  political  stand  point,  has 
been  very  gratifying  to  me.  I  have  no  future  aspirations 
— and  my  past  career,  whether  good  or  evil,  has  never 
looked  to  office.  I  have  felt  gratified  by  your  article  be- 
cause I  know  that  all  my  actions  have  sprung  from  the 
honorable  purpose  to  discharge  my  duties  properly,  and 
next  to  the  approval  of  my  own  conscience  I  derive  satis- 
faction from  the  approval  of  my  fellow  man.  Accept  my 
thanks  for  the  approving  article  which  I  know  sprung 
from  as  honorable  and  noble  motives  as  I  claim  to  have 
always  controlled  my  own  conduct. 

Charlotte. 


To  B.  S.  Iledrich. 

PtALKiGH  Mai/  6,  1S6S. 

RadTcarpilis.  "^^o^i^'s  t.f  the  4th  iust.  is  received. 

It  is  understood  that  Holden  left  here  yesterday  even- 
ing for  Washington  City  to  expedite  the  inauguration  of 
the  new  government.  He  will  probably  ask  for  some  leg- 
islation putting  him  and  his  associates  into  office  at  an 


iln  the  Charlotte  Democrat. 


I 


Correspondence  or  Jonathan  Worth.  1195 

earlier  date  than  would  get  in  under  the  reconstruc- 
tion acts.  With  the  views  I  entertain  of  the  present  dom- 
inant party  in  Congress  I  do  not  doubt  that  he  will  com- 
pass his  object  if  the  majority  shall  think  such  action  cal- 
culated to  strengthen  the  party.  I  do  not  propose  to  use 
an}^  effort  to  resist  the  current,  but  simply  to  keep  my 
layip  trimmed  ready  to  vacate  on  a  moment's  notice. 

It  shocks  all  sense  of  Justice  and  of  honor  that  Con- 
gress should  grant  dispensation  to  Holden,  Rodman,  &  Co. 
and  refuse  it  to  me. 

The  party  will  wrangle  so  much  in  bestowing  the  Sen- 
atorship,  that  I  am  not  sure  that  I  would  stand  a  fair 
chance  to  beat  Dockery,  if  a  dispensation  were  granted  to 
me.  He  voted  in  Dec.  1860  an  appropriation  of  $300,000. 
to  arm  the  State,  and  he  voted  in  May,  1861  for  the  Con- 
vention. I  spoke  and  voted  against  both.  My  position  is 
better  every  way  than  his  save  that  he  is  a  Radical.  I 
am  not.  I  am  now  and  always  have  been  for  the  Union 
on  the  basis  of  the  Constitution,  but  not  for  the  Union 
Radicalism  would  force  on  us. 

The  great  error,  in  our  late  contest,  sprang  from  the 
impatience  of  the  old  secessionists  to  take  front  seats.  I 
do  not  know  the  exact  strength  of  parties  in  the  Legis- 
lature. 

The  conviction  of  the  President,  which  I  look  upon  as 
certain,  will  be  lasting  reproach  on  the  nation,  and  will 
expedite  the  downfall  of  Radicalism.  No  honest  senator 
can  believe  that  the  evidence  warrants  conviction. 

Washington^  D.  C. 


To  C.  B.  MaJIett. 

Raleigh,  May  6th  1S6S. 
Even  if  the  question  were  free  from  difficulty  as  to  the  Railroad  matters, 
issue  of  bonds  for  yr.  Road  provided  for  by  the  late  Con- 
vention, I  do  not  think  it  would  be  prudent  for  the  State 


1 1 90  ±\  oRTii  Carolina  Historical  Commission. 

Tr.,  for  tlie  present,  to  take  measures  for  issuing  them. 
I  regard  it  as  entirely  probable  that  we  will  be  suspended 
before  the  job  could  be  consummated.  If  the  printing  of 
the  blanks  be  ordered,  Mr.  Battle's  name,  under  existing 
laws,  would  be  engraved,  and  he  will  probably  be  out  of 
office  before  the  work  could  be  done.  Holden  is  now  gone 
to  Washington  and  will  probably  succeed  in  getting  ainen,d- 
ments  to  the  re-constructions  acts  as  will  lead  to  the  im- 
mediate change  of  the  State  officers.  The  engraving  and 
printing  will  cost  a  considerable  sum  and  if  the  work 
should  not  be  completed  and  the  bonds  issued  before  our 
successors  come  in  they  would  be  worthless.  I  decline  to 
act  in  the  matter,  at  least  until  the  result  of  Mr.  Holden's 
trip  to  Washington  shall  be  known. 
Fayetteville. 


To  D.  B.  Goodloe. 

May  8th  1868. 

1  thank  you  for  copy  of  your  printed  letter  to  Mr.  Sum- 
ner. I  have  read  it  with  much  interest.  I  think  you 
establish  your  main  point  by  unanswerable  logic-^but  with 
my  notions  of  the  principle  which  controls  the  present 
Congress,  I  cannot  hope  for  immediate  effect  on  that  body. 

Although  I  entirely  dissent  from  your  conclusion  as  to 
the  adoption  of  the  Howard  amendment  and  the  new  State 
Constitution  I  regard  your  letter  as  in  admirable  contrast 
with  the  general  discussions  of  these  subjects. 

Raleigh. 


CORKESPONDENCE    OE    JONATHAN    WoKTH.  1197 

To  James  R.  Doolittle^ 

May  11   IS  08. 

As  we  have  no  representative  in  Congress  you  will  ex-  uec-onstruction. 
cuse  my  calling  your  attention  to  a  matter  specially  affect- 
ing the  people   of  North   Carolina,    springing  from    the 
action  of  Congress. 

You  will  see  that  in  one  thing  our  new  Constitution  is 
free  from  any  exception — to-wit ;  disfranchisement  of  the 
intelligence  and  wealth  of  the  State: — but  one  of  your 
sections  of  reconstructions  acts  has  been  construed  to  allow 
the  election  of  a  govr.  for  four  years — a  delegation  to  Con- 
gress judges  for  eight  years — a  General  Assembly,  etc.  in 
which  election  all  the  disfranchised,  under  the  Congres- 
sional legislation,  say  15  or  20  thousand,  had  no  voice, 
the  result  of  which  is  about  to  be  that  for  years  the  State 
is  to  be  ruled,  in  its  legislative,  executive  and  judicial  de- 
partments by  officers  not  elected  under  oiii'  Constitution, 
but  under  an  Act  of  Congress.  All  the  officers  holding  and 
certifying  such  election  being  appointees  of  the  military 
authority  of  the  U.  S.  If  Congress  ratify  our  Constitu- 
tion, they  want  to  set  aside  the  election  of  State  officers, 
and  order  a  new  election  in  conformity  with  the  new  Con- 
stitution. 

I  regard  all  the  so-called  reconstruction  legislation  of 
Congress  as  nnconstitutional,  nnstatesmanlike  and  unwise : 
— but  surely  when  we  have  adopted  a  constitution  in  con- 
formity with  this  legislation,  Congress  will  allow  ns  to 
elect  our  officers  according  to  its  provisions.  Surely  if  the 
State  Constitution  be  ratified,  its  future  government  ought 
to  be  by  officers  elected  under  the  provisions  of  such  Con- 
stitution. 

I  beg  yon  to  make  an  effort  to  set  aside  the  election  held 
under  military  auspices  and  congressional  enactment,  and 


1  Member  of  the  Senate  from  Wisconsin,  and  an  ardent  supporter 
of  President  Johnson.  He  was  president  of  the  National  Union  Con- 
vention of  1866. 


1198  XuKTii  Cakomna  Historical  Commission. 

allow  us  an  election  as  provided  for  under  our  Constitu- 
tion. 

Under  the  influence  of  secret  leagues,  the  intelligence 
of  the  State  denied  the  right  to  vote — all  required  to  vote 
on  one  ticket  for  or  against  the  ratification  of  the  new 
Constitution,  and  for  members  of  the  Genl.  Assembly, 
members  of  Congress,  judges,  and  County  officers,  it  is 
easy  to  see  that  the  election  was  controlled  by  caucus  man- 


agement.    The  result  is  that  we  have  for  Govr.  one  w 


*fc> 


lO 


was  an  original  Secessionist,  and  who  did  more  than  any 
other  ISTorth  Carolinian  to  produce  and  foster  the  sectional 
alienation  which  has  filled  the  nation  with  mourning;  we 
have  as  one  of  the  judges  of  our  Supreme  Court  Mr.  Jlnd- 
man,  a  violent  Secessionist  who  was  a  military  judge  in 
the  Confederate  army; — for  another  of  said  judges  Mr. 
Dick,  who  was  a  member  of  our  Convention  which  passed 
unanimously  our  ordinance  of  Secession — and  for  a  third 
of  said  judges  Mr.  Settle,  who  entered  the  Confederate 
army  as  a  Captain,  and  resigned  when  the  contest  waxed 
hot — And  we  have  as  one  of  our  judges  of  Superior  juris- 
diction, A.  W.  Tourgee,  said  to  have  been  a  Captain  of  a 
Ohio  Company  in  the  TJ.  S.  army; — who  settled  in  this 
State  after  the  close  of  the  war — who  has  never  had  a 
license  to  practice  law  in  this  State,  nor  in  any  other 
State,  so  far  as  is  knowm  here.  These  are  a  few  samples 
of  the  outrageous  results  of  this  mockery  of  an  election. 
I  do  not  give  more  because  1  would  not  weary  you. 

If  our  new  Constitution,  forced  upon  us  by  negro  votes, 
and  disfranchisement,  and  secret  leagues,  must  be  our 
fundamental  law,  is  it  possible  that  we  are  to  be  denied  the 
])rivileges  of  electing  our  representatives  and  ofiicers,  ac- 
cording to  the  provisions  of  this  Constitution  ? ! ! 

Genl.  Canby  has  issued  an  order  or  written  a  letter  to_ 
Gov.  Orr  that  if  Congress  do  nothing  in  this  interim,  he 
will   order  the  installation  of  the  new  State  officers  ten 
days  after  Congress  shall  have  ratified  our  Constitutions. 


Cor.KESPOJN^DENOE    OF    JONATHAN    WoKTII.  1199 

I  had  supposed  this  would  be  deferred  until  the  Howard 
amendment  became  a  part  of  the  Constitution. 
WAsiiixGTOisr,  D.  C. 


To  the  Editors  of  the  National  IidellKjciiccr. 

May  11  ISGS. 

You  will  have  observed  that  in  one  thino-  the  new  ('on-  Ji^^.^on'smmior 
stitution  of  this  State  contrasts  favorably  with  the  Consti- 
tutions of  most  of  the  other  Southern  States,  It  disfram 
chises  only  those  convicted  for  infamous  crimes.  This 
Constitution  is  ratified  by  the  votes  of  those  allowed  to  vote 
and  is  certified  by  the  military  authorities.  It  wnll  doubt- 
less be  ratified  by  Congress.  When  so  ratified  is  it  not 
obvious  that  the  officers  of  the  State,  its  legislators,  etc. 
who  hold  for  long  terms — Our  members  of  Congress,  mem- 
bers of  the  State  Legislature  and  County  officers  are 
elected  under  military  officers,  at  an  election  held  under 
Congressional  legislation,  at  which  some  15,000  or  20,000 
entitled  to  vote  under  this  Constitution  were  denied  the 
privilege.  Is  it  possible  that  Congress  will  confirm  this 
election  ?  Is  Holden  our  constitutional  Governor,  elected 
under  military  auspices,  and  not  under  the  Constitution  ? 
Is  Rodman,  a  military  judge  in  our  Confederate  army,  to 
be  a  judge  of  our  Supreme  Court  for  some  eight  or  ten 
years — and  Dick,  who  voted  for  Secession  in  our  Conven- 
tion of  1861 — and  Settle,  who  was  a  Confederate  Captain 
until  the  war  waxed  warm,  to  be  judges  of  the  same  Court, 
by  an  election  at  which  at  least  15,000  of  our  people  were 
not  permitted  to  vote — the  poll-keepers  being  military  ap- 
pointees and  the  result  of  the  election  verified  only  by 
military  certificates? 

Genl.  Canby  has  pul)li?hed  a  letter,  stating,  if  Congress 
take  no  further  action  the  new  functionaries  will  be  in- 
stalled 10  days  after  Congress  shall  have  ratified  our  Con- 
stitution. 


1200  North   Cakolixa  Historical  Commission. 

I  am  luarly  in  despair — In  fact  can  see  no  rational 
ground  of  hope  for  good  government  in  this  State  at  any 
early  day — but  if  the  late  election  were  set  aside  and  an- 
other election  ordered  under  the  new  Constitution  we 
would  probably  elect  a  more  worthy  set  of  officers, 

I  would  not  have  my  name  appear  in  the  papers  touch- 
ing this  matter  and  submit  this  idea  to  you  to  suggest  an 
editorial,  if  you  deem  it  w^orth  while. 

Washingtox^  D.  C. 


To  B.  S.  Hedrick 


May  11  18G8. 


Goodioe's  letter  I  have  read  with  much  interest  Mr.  Goodloe's  letter  to 

Mr.  Sumner.  His  logick,  on  the  main  point,  is  answer- 
able, save  that  I  do  not  doubt  that  it  was  the  purpose  of 
Congress,  that  our  rulers,  for  the  present,  should  be  men 
selected  under  the  auspices  of  the  military  and  under  the 
rules  of  disfranchisement  prescribed  by  Congress.  They 
did  not  intend  that  our  new  Constitution  should  be  opera- 
tive for  a  few  years,  lest  Radicalism  should  not  be  entirely 
dominant :  and  hence  I  have  no  hope  that  his  argument  will 
produce  any  results.  For  years  partizanship  has  not 
allowed  virtue,  or  honor,  or  respect  for  the  Constitution 
to  be  in  the  way  of  the  attainment  of  a  party  end:  and 
hence  I  regard  the  hope  that  there  may  be  virtue  enough 
in  a  few  Senators  to  acquit  the  President,  in  a  case  where 
there  is  no  evidence  against  him,  as  absurd.  It  is  under- 
stood the  verdict  will  be  rendered  to-day.  I  entertain  no 
doubt  that  he  will  be  convicted,  having  lost  all  confidence 
in  the  virtue  of  our  rulers. 

In  commending  Mr.  Goodloe's  production,  I  must  not  be 
understood  as  approving  his  idea  that  we  ought  all  to  have 
voted  for  the  Howard  amendment  or  the  new  Constitution. 
Whatever  ill  betides  us  it  is  fit  that  some  of  us  retain  self 
respect.     I  go  for  neither  until  I  can  be  convinced  that  it 


<P 


Correspondence  of  Jonathan  Worth. 

is  honorable  and  expedient  to  purchase  favor  by  fawning. 
If  there  had  been  nothing  else  objectionable  in  the  new 
Constitution,  its  provisions  as  to  the  Judiciary  would  have 
made  me  view  it  with  horror.  It  is  said  w^e  might  hope 
to  amend  this  and  other  objectionable  features.  I  regard 
this  hope  as  positively  absurd.  ISTobody  surrenders  power. 
If  there  be  any  rational  hope  of  future  good  government 
here  it  must  be  looked  for  in  Revolution.  At  present  the 
basis  of  our  govermiient  is  Ignorance.  The  dregs  of  so- 
ciety hereafter  rule  the  State.  I  still  hope  (because  I  am 
naturally  hopeful)  that  anarchy  is  not  to  supplant  civili- 
zation, but  I  can  give  no  reason  for  this  hope. 

My  lamps  are  trimmed.  I  expect  this  Congress  shame- 
lessly to  remove  the  disabilities  of  Holden,  Rodman,  Dick, 
Jenkins  &  Co.  and  to  hold  me,  and  others  like  me,  w^ho 
always  desired  to  preserve  the  Union,  unworthy  of  trust 
until  we  become  Radicals  which  is  now  the  only  teste  of 
Patriotism  with  the  majority  of  Congress. 

Washington^  D.  C. 


1203 


To  Editors  of  the  New  Yorh  ^yorld. 

May  IJ^  1868. 

You  will  have  seen  that  the  so-called  Constitution  of  ^N".  ^'e^J^eonstuuiior 
C.  lately  adopted  exhibits  in  one  particular  unusual  liber- 
ality on  the  part  of  our  negroes  and  their  allies.  The 
15,000  to  20,000  men,  embracing  nearly  all  the  property 
and  intelligence  of  the  State,  disfranchised  by  the  late 
Disruption  acts  of  Congress,  are  enfranchised — but  one 
anomaly  of  our  condition  may  have  escaped  your  attention. 
Assume  that  our  new  constitution  is  duly  framed  and  rati- 
fied and  become  our  fundamental  law.  It  makes  the  ju- 
diciary elective  by  the  people,  negroes  and  all,  as  well  as 
the  Governor  and  all  the  rest  of  the  important  officers  of 
the  State  and  counties.  The  Governor's  term  is  raised 
from  two  to  four  years — the  judges  elected  for  8  years — 
Vol.  2—35 


1200  XoRTH  Cakolix\a  Historical  Commission. 

but  our  Convention  took  care  to  cause  the  election  I'm-  all 
the  officers  to  be  held,  legislative,  delegation  to  Congress 
and  all,  under  the  auspices  of  the  military  authority  of 
the  U.  S.  which  denied  this  right  of  suffrage  to  this  15,000 
to  20,000  disfranchised  men.  So  we  are,  under  our  new 
Constitution,  to  have  a  governor,  Legislature,  judges,  dele- 
gation in  Congress,  etc.,  not  elected  under  the  provisions 
of  our  fundamental  law,  but  by  poll-keepers  appointed  by 
Oenl^  Canby.  They  can  have  no  evidence  of  their  elec- 
tion but  his  certificate,  and  we  are  to  be  ruled  over  for 
years  by  officers  not  elected  under  our  fundamental  law. 

Under  Genl.  Canby's  orders  each  voter  was  required  to 
vote  on  one  ticket  for  all  the  officers,  executive,  judicial, 
legislative,  Congressional  and  County,  whereby  each  ticket 
embraced  some  50  names.  There  is  not  one  voter  in  100 
in  the  State  who  can  tell  the  names  of  all  or  over  one  half 
of  the  men  he  voted  for.  The  fitness  of  the  persons  voted 
for  was  not  considered.  A  caucus  nominated  the  candi- 
dates, and  the  Loyal  Leagues  and  Freeman's  Bureau  offi- 
cers settled  on  the  names  to  be  chosen  and  the  poor  ne- 
groes, ignorant  whites  and  followers  of  the  office  seekers 
voted  the  ticket  placed  in  their  hands  for  the  purpose. 

All  honest  men  view  with  loathing  these  officers  thus 
elected.  A  sample  of  the  higher  officers  elected  are — • 
Holden — whose  record  you  know — and  Rodman,  a  strong 
Secessionist  and  military  judge  in  the  Confederate  army, 
— Dick,  who  voted  the  State  out  of  the  Union  in  1861 — 
Settle,  who  went  into  the  Confederate  army  as  a  Captain 
and  resigned  when  the  contest  waxed  hot — these  three  are 
elected  judges  of  the  Supreme  Court,  on  account  of  their 
present  devotion  to  the  negro.  These  are  some  of  the  least 
exceptionable  men  appointed  to  rule  over  us  under  the 
mockery  of  an  election. 

I  have  made  this  hastily  written  letter  longer  than  I 
intended.  My  intention  was  simply  to  call  your  attention 
to  the  anomily,  that  the  officers  of  our  new  government  are 
not  elected  in  pursuance  of  its  provisions  but  by  military 
authority  and  under  military  supervision. 


COKKESPONDENCE    OF    JONATHAN    WoRTII.  1203 

I  intend  these  as  mere  suggestions,  but  not  for  publica- 
tion over  mj  name. 


To  James  T.  Morehead. 

May  loth  1868. 

It  would  be  interesting  to  know  what  amount  of  the 
County  and  State  taxes  were  paid  last  year  by  the  mem- 
bers of  our  late  Convention  and  by  the  members  of  the 
Genl  Assembly  shortly  to  assemble.  Will  you  furnish 
me  this  information  for  your  County  ?  If  you  cannot  an- 
swer before  I  go  out  of  office,  please  answer  afterwards. 

I  would  like  to  have  the  same  information  as  to  each 
of  our  members  elect  to  Congress. 

Geeensboro. 

Copy  sent  to  each  County. 


To  B.  S.  Hedrick. 

May  17  1868. 
I  am  more  at  leisure  in  this  transition  state  of  govern- 
mental affairs  than  I  have  been  at  any  time  since  I  as- 
sumed the  Gubernatorial  robe,  and  hence  find  time  to  an- 
swer yours  of  the  14th  inst. 

You  remark  that  "Johnson  has  so  acted  towards  the  Defense  of  Presi- 

1  T  11-  1  T  1-1  •  1  •       dent  Johnson. 

men  who  elected  him,  that  they  are  as  hostile  against  him 
as  they  could  well  be." 

If  the  understanding  be  that  the  nominee  of  a  party  is 
thereafter  to  conform  to  the  neiu  principles. his  party  may 
avow,  and  that  he  is  to  be  deemed  a  traitor  if  he  adhere 
to  the  principles  he  had  avowed  before  such  election, — and 
if  his  personal  convictions  of  duty  are  thereafter  to  con- 
form to  the  will  of  those  who  elected  him :  Johnson  is  a 
sinner  and  deserves  the  denunciation  to  which  vou  refer: 


1204  North   Carolina  Historical   Commission. 

but  if,  after  election,  he  may  honestly  stand  by  the  prin- 
ciples he  had  avowed  before  said  election,  Johnson  is  guilt- 
less. 

He  has  stood  fuDily  by  his  ante  election  and  well  known 
principles.  His  party  has  changed  its  principles.  If  he 
was  honorably  bound  to  surrender  the  keeping  of  his  con- 
science after  election  to  those  who  elected  him,  he  is  justly 
obnoxious  to  the  hatred  to  which  you  refer.  If  he  was 
justifiable  in  standing  firm  by  his  ante-election  principles, 
he  is  still  entitled  to  retain  his  self-esteem  and  the  respect 
of  mankind.  If  it  was  his  duty  to  make  the  convictions  of 
his  understanding  and  conscience  bend  to  the  variant  re- 
sorts of  his  party,  he  is  the  just  subject  of  hatred.  I  hold 
that  no  one  deserving  the  appelation  of  a  man,  is  required 
or  will  submit  to  put  his  conscience  in  the  keeping  of 
others.  I  read  with  pride  Johnson's  speeches  immediately 
preceding  and  in  the  early  stages  of  the  war.  I  regarded 
him  then  as  a  pariot,  and  I  regard  him  now  as  a  patriot, 
in  adhering  to  them,  and  I  abhor  the  partizans  who  "hate" 
him  for  manly  adherence  to  his  principles. 

It  is  so  plain  that  it  is  not  a  debatable  question  among 
honest  men,  that  no  evidence  has  been  adduced  furnishing 
colorable  ground  of  impeachment  against  the  President, 
and  that  the  House  of  Representatives  were  so  conscious 
of  this,  that  the  prominent  managers  were  selected  to  con- 
duct the  prosecution,  not  on  account  of  legal  learning  and 
personal  probity,  but  because  of  their  eminence  in  bully- 
ism. 

If  the  further  attempt  to  continue  this  inquisition  and 
persecution  be  countenanced,  it  will  prove  that  all  virtue 
is  lost. 

Although  Fessenden  and  other  Republicans  who  voted 
against  the  impeachment  performed  only  a  duty  which 
common  honesty  required,  we  have  reached  a  period  in 
human  affairs  when  the  nerve  to  be  honest,  is  so  rare, 
that  we  are  disposed  to  accord  to  them  brilliant  renown. 
Moral  obliguity  and  turpitude  have  become  so  common — 


Correspondence  of  Jonathan  Worth.  1205 

we  are  so  familiarized  with  them  that  common  honesty 
commands  fervid  gratitude. 

I  would  not  be  understood  as  claiming  more  virtue  for 
one  set  of  politicians  than  another.  Partizan  rage  ITorth 
and  South,  has  been  heretofore  and  is  now,  entirely  re- 
gardless of  moral  rectitude. 

Washington^  D.  C. 


To  H.  J.  Harris. 

May  20th  1868. 

Yours  of  the  ISth  iust.  is  to  hand. 

In  view  of  the  extreme  uncertainty  resting  on  my  of- 
ficial existence,  I  perceive  no  means  of  serving  you  offi- 
cially. 

If,  in  a  few  days,  as  now  seems  probable,  new  officers 
are  to  be  installed  in  whose  election  some  15,000  or  20,000 
have  been  denied  the  right  to  vote,  who  are  entitled  to  vote 
under  the  present  new  Constitution,  it  would  seem  inju- 
rious, rather  than  beneficial,  for  me  to  interfere. 

Trinity  College^  ]^.  C. 


To  C.  K.  Lenow. 

Raleigh  N.  C.  May  22/68. 
I  cannot  answer  jonr  inquiry  of  22  Jan.  last.  I  can 
refer  you  to  two  instances,  the  one  State  vs.  John  Hoover. 
1839,  where  a  master  was  convicted  for  the  murder  of  his^ 
slave — and  the  judgment  of  the  Superior  Court  confirmed 
by  the  Supreme  Court.  Devereux  &  Battle's  Law  Re- 
ports Vols.  3  and  4th  page  365.  The  other  State  vs. 
Christopher  Robins — 1855, Jones'  Law  Reports  page  249. 
In  both  these  cases  the  Supreme  Court  confirms  the  deci- 
sion of  the  Court  below,  condemning  the  master  for  the 
murder  of  his  slave.     I  suppose  the   convicts  were  exe- 


120G  iS'ORTii  Cakolina  Historical  Commission. 

cuted,  but  do  not  know — will  ascertain  and  report  here- 
after. I  know  that  public  sentiment  here  would  always 
have  required  conviction  in  such  a  case  where  the  proof 
justified  conviction.  Of  course  few  instances  of  wanton 
depravity  would  occur  where  a  man  would  destroy  his  own 
property. 

If  these  criminals  were  not  executed  our  Courts  are  not 
responsible.  When  I  ascertain  I  will  report  whether  they 
were  executed— and  if  not,  why  they  escaped. 

There  may  be  instances  of  a  conviction  of  a  master  for 
the  murder  of  his  slave.  I  do  not  remember  others  and 
have  not  time  to  make  much  inquiry.  The  moral  sense 
of  the  people  of  this  State  would  always  have  revolted  at 
the  murder  of  a  dependent  slave  by  his  master,  and  juries 
would  have  as  readily  convicted  as  in  any  other  class  of 
murder. 

You  will  find  in  your  State  library,  or  other  appropriate 
department,  the  cases  to  which  I  refer,  the  reading  of 
which  will  show  you  the  axioms  of  our  Courts  and  juries 
touching  said  cases. 

j^Ew  York  City. 


To  S.  S.  JacJiSon. 

Kaleigh  May  22/68. 

I  inclose  $5.  to  pay  for  vinegar  and  keg,  which  cost 
$4.50.  You  do  not  give  the  cost  of  delivery  at  High' Pt.  I 
suppose  50  cents  will  cover  it. 

When  you  again  have  occasion  to  send  us  any  thing  by 
R.  R.,  let  it  come  by  freight.  The  Express  Co.  charged 
me  $1.25  for  this  keg.  The  freight  train  would  have  de- 
livered it  as  safely  and  expeditiously  at  much  less  cost. 

I  am  quite  at  sea  as  to  when  Holden  is  to  take  my  place 
— but  presume  it  will  be  very  soon. 

ASHEBORO. 


CORKESPOXDENCE  OF  JONATHAN  WoKTJ!.  1207 

To  Dr.  J.  Jaclson. 

Raleigh,  May  J2/08. 

I  believe  the  Conservatives  elected  to  office  pay  much 
more  tax  than  the  Destructives,  and  my  purpose  is  to 
exhibit  the  contrast — and  to  show  that  the  poor  devils, 
now  made  our  rulers,  have  little  interest  in  the  well  being 
of  the  State,  so  far  as  property  is  concerned. 

I  have  furnished  your  name  to  Mr.  Badger.  If  the  new 
officers  shall  be  installed  under  Genl.  Canby's  orders,  I  sup- 
pose you  will  be  required  to  take  the  iron-clad.  If  Con- 
gress act  further  in  the  matter  nobody  can  guess  at  their 
action  with  any  degree  of  certainty.  The  Supreme  Court 
of  the  U.  S.  has  held  this  iron-clad  oath  to  be  unconstitu- 
tional and  that  Court,  though  demoralised,  is  not  yet  anni- 
hilated. I  would  so  act  as  not  to  surrender  my  legal 
rights,  should  it  turn  out  that  any  legal  rights  will  be 
recognized  by  the  powers  that  be.  I  regard  the  late  elec- 
tion as  unconstitutional  and  absurd.  Not  a  civil  officer 
of  State  has  been  elected  by  the  electors  entitled  to  vote 
under  the  new  Constitution  and  not  one  can  establish  his 
election  save  by  military  certificate — but  it  is  not  possible 
to  know  where  the  revolution  is  to  end  nor  what  is  to  be 
the  practical  result  of  present  legislation. 

WlIITESVlIXE. 


To  B.  *s'.  Iledrlcl-. 

Ealeigii,  May  22  186S. 
We  .have  taken  no  pains  to  show  the  contrast  by  ante-  Radical  inetiuxis 
cedents,  between  the  men  elected  in  1865  and  this  year, 
for  the  reason  that  the  Republican  party  has  no  respect 
for  union  antecedents.  The  only  thing  they  respect  is 
present  adherence  to  Radicalism.  By  this  teste  the  com- 
parison you  indicate  would  bring  us  into  much  greater 
disfavor.     The  men  of  1805  were  generally  noble,  patri- 


1208  NoKTH  Carolina  Historical  Commission. 

otic,  Union  men — Those  of  1868  are  generally  ignoble 
inferior  men  having  no  moral  principle.  The  men  of 
1865,  almost  universally,  hate  Radicalism,  as  all  good 
constitutional  Union  men  do.  The  latter,  of  whom  IToldcn 
and  Butler  are  fair  specimens, — shout  for  Radicalism — 
and  are  embraced  by  Sumner,  Wilson,  et  id  omne  g/fnus. 
I  may  appeal  to  my  whole  life  to  show  my  devotion  to  the 
Union,  unless  my  yielding  to  the  powers  that  were  during 
the  Rebellion,  always  ready  to  see  the  Union  restored  and 
never  pretending  to  the  contrary,  be  absurdly  held  an  ex- 
ception— ^but  Sumner,  Wilson  and  every  other  Republican 
find  no  difficulty  in  removing  the  disabilities  of  Holden 
while  not  one  of  them  would  place  me  on  the  same  footing. 
They  are  mere  partizans,  not  patriots.  I  have  lost  all 
confidence  in  their  virtue  and  honor.  I  always  detested, 
as  I  do  now,  every  thing  tending  to  produce  sectional  alien- 
ation. Hence  I  abhorred  Secessionism,  and  equally 
abhor  Republicanism,  as  exhibited  by  reconstruction  Leg- 
islation. 

If  Congress,  when  they  white  wash  Holden,  would 
white-wash  me,  as  his  late  rival  and  presenting  Union 
record  infinitely  better,  I  should  give  them  credit  for 
some  honesty. 

Neither  Tourgee  or  Heaton  paid  any  County  or  State 
tax  last  year.  The  great  body  of  the  Convention  and  the 
Radical  members  of  the  Genl  Assembly,  paid  next  to  no 
tax  for  the  support  of  the  State  whose  guardians  they  are 
made,  under  Loyal  League  and  negro  suffrage.  I  am  col- 
lecting authentic  information  on  this  matter  and  will 
publish  it,  when  complete.  Enough  is  now  ascertained  to 
show  that  the  new  order  of  things  ignores  those  whose 
industry  and  prudence  have  given  them  interest  in  the 
preservation  of  the  fruits  of  industry,  and  gives  the  helms 
of  State  to  the  worthless  carpet  bagger.  This  is  the  natu- 
ral sequent  of  iniiversal  negro  suffrage. 

AVashijstgton,  D.  C. 


( 


COKRESPONDENCE    OF    JONATHAN    WoKTH.  1209 

From  Rev.  Job  Berry  (colored)   to  General  Canhy. 
HiLLSBOKo  No.  Ca.  May  25  18 68. 
Genl.  Canhay  Ilonard  Sir 

I  now  sit  down  to  ask  a  favor  of  you  if  you  please.  Asian','  aid  lor  his 

My  sone  was  taken  from  me  when  he  was  about  10  years 
old.  I  being  a  Slave  therefore  I  had  no  control  over  him. 
He  was  haired  of  from  home  at  the  close  of  the  war.  At 
the  close  of  the  war  he  went  to  Wihnington  ISTo.  Ca  quite 
a  youth.  And  there  he  got  in-to  bad  company,  was  led 
astray  and  was  put  in  prison  for  five  months  before  his 
trial.  And  beaing  convicted  he  was  sent  to  the  work  house 
for  2  years.  He  has  bin  there  for  about  nine  months. 
He  was  at  first  the  body  servant  of  the  Hon.  Judge  !N^asb 
of  Hillsboro.  He  has  been  a  good  boy  and  of  a  good 
charactar.  But  after  the  death  of  the  Judge  he  Avas  hire- 
ard  out  in  the  country  and  got  with  the  wild  rapling  low 
class  boys  in  the  county  that  he  got  out  of  a  greate  many  of 
his  old  study  and  going  to  church  ways  in  fact  theare  was 
not  a  church  in  6  or  10  miles  of  the  place  that  he  was 
hai]'ed.  Deare  Ser  you  know  how  rouning  it  is  to  boys  to 
be  a  way  from  theare  parents  so  long  from  10  to  the  age 
of  ID.  He  will  be  21  one  years  old  this  July  and  he  is 
my  oldest  sone  and  the  only  one  with  a  trade  he  is  a  good 
carpenter. 

I  am  getting  advance  in  years  and  my  wife  are  afflicted. 
I  have  a  family  of  10  children  but  by  the  help  of  God  I 
am  trying  to  live  I  wrote  to  AVilmington  to  try  to  get  him 
bailed,  it  was  $200.  to  get  him  out  but  I  have  not  got  the 
money  so  by  the  help  of  God  nowing  that  he  is  in  your 
hands  and  if  you  will  releace  him  and  let  him  come  home 
to  me  I  will  try  by  the  help  of  God  to  keep  him  withe  me 
for  I  need  his  help.  If  you  wish  to  know  my  charecter 
you  will  be  so  kind  as  to  apply  to  Hon  Hugh  D.  Waddell 
of  Wilmington  he  raised  me  from  a  boy  my  poor  boy  have 
been  sufring  so  long  I  think  that  he  will  learn  a  lesson  to 
stay  at  home  My  deare  Sir  I  hope  that  the  Lord  will  en- 
able you  to  consider  njy  great   disstress  hipping  to  heare 


1210  I^ORTH  Carolina  Histokical  Commission. 

from  you  very  soon.     May  the  Lord  bless  you  and  keey) 
you  it  is  my  prayers.     I  am  sir  your  bumble  servant 

P.  S.      Mv  sons  name  are  Marcellus  P.  Berrv. 


To  WiUidm  P.  Fcssenden^ 

Raleigh^  May  2Gik  1807. 

tVonTS'tife^sta'te!  '^^^  ^^^8'^  regard  I  bave  always  bad  for  your  character 
as  a  statesman  and  your  recent  exhibition  of  conscientious- 
ness on  the  impeachment  question,  as  IST.  C.  is  unrepre- 
sented in  Congress,  are  my  only  warrant  in  calling  your 
attention  to  a  matter  of  the  gravest  important  to  us.  It 
would  be  useless  to  get  a  member  acting  in  the  minority  to 
interpose  in  our  behalf.  Believing,  notwithstanding  the 
unjust  obloquy  now  heaped  upon  you,  that  you  wish  to  act 
justly  and  patriotically  and  to  rest  your  claims  for  future 
renown  upon  these  elevated  grounds,  I  lay  before  you 
what  I  deem  awful  grievances  to  the  people  of  IST.  C. 
which  can  be  remedied  only  by  Congress, 

The  reconstruction  measures  of  Congress  profess  to 
have  in  view  the  establishment  of  a  Civil  Government  in 
these  States,  looking  alike  to  the  general  welfare  and  the 
future  well-being  of  the  States  now  excluded  from  par- 
ticipation in  National  legislation.  I  assume  this  is  the 
sincere  purpose  of  Congress. 

Under  this  plan  the  State  has  formed  a  new  Constitu- 
tion. Is  it  not  manifest  that  this  new  State  Government 
ought  to  be  administered  by  officers  chosen  in  pursuance 
of  its  provisions  ? 

Under  Art  G  sec.  1  of  this  Constitution,  a  large  class 
of  our  people  who  are  denied  the  right  to  vote  under  these 
reconstruction  Acts,   are    enfranchised.     This    class    em- 


1  Former  Secretary  of  the  Treasury  and  at  this  time  a  Senator 
from  Maine.  He  was  Chairman  of  the  Joint  Committee  on  Eeeon- 
stnu'tion. 


COKKESPONDEXCE    OF    JONATHAN     WoKTH.  1211 

braces  at  least  15,000 — perhaps  20,000  of  our  citizens 
owning  most  of  the  property  and  comprising  the  chief  in- 
telligence of  the  State. 

The  new  Constitution  entitles  this  class  to  a  voice  in 
the  State  Government,  but  the  Convention  directed  that 
the  election  of  a  Governor  for  four  years.  Judges  for  eight 
years,  members  of  the  General  Assembly,  members  of  Con- 
gress, and  all  our  other  inferior  officers.  State  and  County, 
should  be  elected  under  the  present  Military  Government 
of  the  State,  those  only  being  allowed  to  vote  who  were 
registered  by  the  Military  in  pursuance  of  Congressional 
legislation.  JSTot  one  of  the  State  or  County  officers,  whose 
duty  it  wdll  be  to  carry  out  the  new  State  Government,  can 
show  any  other  evidence  of  his  election,  save  the  certificate 
of  Genl.  Canby.  If  you  sanction  our  new  Constitution,  is 
it  possible  you  will  put  this  new  Government  in  operation 
by  officers  not  elected  by  the  electors  entitled  to  vote  under 
its  provisions  ? ! ! ! 

•  I  cannot  suppose  it  possible  that  Congress  can  approve 
such  an  anomaly — not  to  say  absurdity. 

This  election  was  held  by  general  ticket  for  Governor, 
Judges  and  other  State  officers  and  each  voter  was  required 
to  vote  on  the  same  ticket  for  members  of  Congress,  Solici- 
tors of  the  Judicial  Circuits,  members  of  the  General 
Assembly  and  County  officers.  I  inclose  the  orthodox 
ticket  for  this  County  to  show  how  this  election  was  con- 
ducted. This  was  the  caucus  ticket.  I  do  not  believe 
that  one  in  100  of  the  voters — even  the  white  voters — can 
tell  the  names  (much  less  the  fitness,  of  the  State  officers 
for  whom  he  voted :  and  not  one  in  one  thousand  can  tell 
the  names  of  all  the  candidates  for  whom  he  voted.  Is  not 
this  a  mockery  of  Republican  Government. 

It  is  claimed  that  the  restoration  of  the  Union  and  the 
establishment  of  good  government  was  the  object  of  this 
election. 

It  is  notorious  that  Mr.  Holden,  by  the  Standard  news- 
paper which  he  edited,  advocated  Secession  and  that  he 


1212  North  Cakolina  Histokical  Commission. 

(lid  mure  tliiin  any  oilier  citizen  of  the  State  to  alienate 
our  citizens  against  the  Union. 

He  was  a  member  of  our  Convention  of  1861  and  voted 
for  the  ordinance  of  Secession  and  gloried  in  that  vote 
and  for  years  reviled  the  prominent  Union  men  of  the 
ISTorth.  AVlien  the  tide  of  battle  turned  against  the  South, 
he  changed  his  tone,  not  for  the  restoration  of  the  Union, 
but  for  "peace  and  independence."  When  the  war  was 
over  he  claimed  to  be  a  par  excellence  Union  man — suc- 
ceeded in  getting  the  President  to  make  him  Prov.  Gov- 
ernor and  for  a  time  exhausted  his  powers  of  panageric 
on  the  President  and  his  policy. 

At  the  election  for  Governor  in  1865  the  real  Union 
men  of  the  State,  who  never  did  and  who  never  will  vote 
for  Holden,  induced  me  to  run  against  him.  It  was  well 
known  I  had  always  opposed  Secession — ^that  as  a  Senator 
I  had  voted  against  the  call  of  a  Convention  even  in  May 
1861,  after  war  had  actually  begun,  and  although  I  after- 
wards co-operated  with  the  South :  it  was  well  known  that 
I  desired  at  all  times  that  hostilities  should  cease  on  the 
basis  of  the  Constitution  of  the  U.  S.  The  strong  Union 
counties  of  the  State  gave  me  large  majorities — and  very 
many  ultra-sessionists  preferred  me  to  one  who  had  for- 
merly acted  with  them  and  then  turned  upon  and  reviled 
his  old  political  friends.  I  was  elected  by  a  very  large 
majority;  and  re-elected  in  1866,  without  opposition — the 
first  instance  of  the  eleiction  of  a  Governor  by  the  people 
of  this  State  without  opposition.  I  refer  to  this  because 
Mr.  Holden  and  a  great  majority  of  the  IsTorthern  press 
have  always  pretended  that  my  election  was  a  secession 
triumph — whereas  it  was  a  Union  triumph.  This  is  but 
incidental.  If  I  should  succeed  in  awakening  your  atten- 
tion to  my  main  purpose,  and  you  should  for  any  reason 
desire  to  know  more  of  Mr.  Holden,  or  of  me,  I  beg  to 
refer  you  to  B.  S.  Hedrick  of  the  U.  S.  Patent  OfRce,  an 
honest  man  who  knows  all  about  both  of  us. 

As  soon  as  it  appeared  that  the  Congressional  policy  was 


COKKESPONDENCE    OF    JoNATIIAiS'    WoKTll.  1213 

likclj  to  prevail  over  the  President's  he  turned  npoii  and 
reviled  him  and  extolled  Congress.  His  latest  demonstra- 
tion is  his  lying  and  foolish  telegram  published  in  the 
Chronicle^  that  Civil  luar  here  would  be  the  result  of  the 
acquittal  of  the  President. 

This  is  a  rapid  sketch  of  our  Civil  Governor,  elected 
under  Military  authority,  whom  you  are  called  npon  to 
white-wash  and  prepare  for  the  wearing  of  his  official  robe. 

\Vm.  B.  Eodman,  elected  a  Judge  of  the  Supreme  Court, 
was  an  nltra  Secessionist  and  during  the  war  a  Military 
Judge  in  the  Confederate  Army,  carrying  out  our  Con- 
script laws.  These  are  two  conspicuous  instances,  of 
which  there  are  many  minor  ones,  where  new  born  fervor 
in  favor  of  the  Union  is  rewarded  by  high  office,  to  the 
utter  disgust  of  all  7'eal  Union  men  in  this  State,  of  re- 
spectable intelligence. 

Of  the  men  elected  to  high  office,  few  have  any  impor- 
tant interest  in  the  well-being  of  the  State ;  for  instance 

A.  W.  Tourgee,  of  the  U.  S.  Army,  who  settled  or 
rather  stopped  in  the  State,  after  the  war,  is  elected  a 
Judge  of  the  Superior  Court  of  law.  He  has  never 
practised  law  in  this  State  nor  had  a  license  to  practice. 
I  have  been  unable  to  ascertain  that  he  ever  had  a 
license  to  practise  in  the  Courts  of  Superior  jurisdic- 
tion in  any  other  State.  He  has  not  listed  or  paid  one 
red  cent  of  County  or  State  tax  in  the  County,  Guilford, 
in  which  he  claims  citizenship. 

Heaton  and  French  elected  members  of  Congress  were 
both  late  members  of  the  Kadical  Convention,  both  recent 
squatters  among  us,  did  not  pay  a  dime  last  year  towards 
the  expenses  of  the  State  Government  or  County  police — 
including  support  of  the  poor.  Kesults  of  like  character 
might  be  enumerated  ad  infinitum — all  the  results  of  uni- 
versal negTo  suffrage.  Loyal  Leagues,  the  Freeman's  Bu- 
reau and  disfranchisement  of  the  substantial  population. 
In  the  list  of  persons  elected  are  very  many  notoriously 
conspicuous  for  bringing  on  the  war,  negro  traders,  men 


1214  North  Carolina  Historical  Commission. 

who  opposed  not  only  negro  suffrage,  but  were  also  opposed 
to  allowing  them  to  testify.  Most  remarkable  is  the  con- 
trast between  the  result  of  this  election  and  that  held 
under  the  orders  of  the  President  in  18G5.  In  the  elec- 
tion of  18(35  every  person  elected  to  Congress,  every  one 
of  our  eleven  Judges  and  the  Governor  elect,  always  con- 
scientiously opposed  Secession.  After  war  was  actually  in- 
augurated and  they  were  compelled  to  take  sides  in  the 
conflict,  they  co-operated  with  the  South.  The  converts 
from  Secession  to  Radicalism  here  embrace  the  meanest  of 
their  party — but  I  am  amplifying  much  more  than  I  in- 
tended. If  our  new  Constitution  is  to  be  ratified  by  Con- 
gress, in  the  name  of  Justice  I  beg  that  Congress  annul 
the  elections  held  under  Military  authority  and  allow  us 
to  elect  our  rulers  under  our  fundamental  law.  If  we  are 
to  have  Civil  Government  let  the  officers  who  are  to  carry 
it  out,  be  men  elected  in  pursuance  of  its  provisions. 
Washington,  D.  C. 


new  government. 


To  David  Worth. 

May  20  1868. 
Your  late  letter  is  received. 
Opinions  of  the  I  regard  a  pretended  civil  government  not  one  officer  of 

new  e-ovprnment-  o  jr  o 

which  can  prove  his  office  save  by  Genl.  Canby's  certificate 
— and  in  whose  election  some  15,000  or  20,000  of  our 
people,  entitled  to  vote  under  this  new  Constitution,  were 
denied  this  right,  as  coining  exactly  up  to  what  a  common 
sense  old  friend  of  mine,  calls  "compound  nonsense." 

The  judges  for  eight  years — The  Govr.  for  four — and 
every  County  and  State  officer  is  to  hold  his  office  under  an 
election  managed  by  the  military  authority  and  in  which 
the  great  body  of  our  people,  having  property  and  intelli- 
gence, were  not  allowed  a  voice,  is  a  fair  specimen  of 
"compound  nonsense"  and  shameless  villiany. 

When  the  great  mass  of  grown  up  men, — white  and 
black — are  asked  by  one  general  ticket  to  elect  their  judges 


COKKESPONDENCE    OF    JONATHAN    WoRTIi.  1215 

for  limited  periods;  and  not  one  in  one  hundred  can  tell 
iL'Jio  he  voted  for — much  less  his  fitness  to  fill  the  office, — 
and  protection  to  character,  property  and  life  is  mere 
matter  of  chance — but  I  can't  dwell  en  these  matters — 
Executive  duties,  though  I  am  soon  to  give  place  to  my 
successor,  crowd  upon  me. 

If  you  were  to  leave  jSTorth  Carolina  in  the  hope  of 
better  government  elsewhere,  to  what  State  or  government 
would  you  go  ?  If  you  sacrifice  the  fruits  of  years  of  toil, 
are  you  sure  you  w411  better  your  condition  ?  Mankind 
has  always  been  plunging  into  war  and  other  foolery.  If 
you  lived  in  a  community  where  there  were  many  negroes. 
I  would  advise  you  to  fly.  It  wall  be  a  long  time  before 
they  perish  out ;  and  there  can  be  no  property  where  they 
exist  in  large  numbers.  They  have  always  been  savages 
and  drones  in  a  free  state  and  human  reason  can  judge 
of  the  future  only  by  the  past.  In  view  of  your  age — the 
comforts  around  you  and  the  small  number  of  hlach  negroes 
around  you,  I  advise  you  to  remain  where  you  are.  It 
cannot  be  long  before  ichite  negroes  come  to  their  senses. 

Jefferson. 


To  C.  K.  Lenoiu. 

Kaleigh.  May  29  1868. 

1  have  information  from  the  Sheriffs  of  the  Counties 
in  which  Hoover  and  Robins  were  convicted  for  the  mur- 
der of  their  slaves,  that  both  of  them  were  duly  hanged. 
I  have  found  these  cases  because  they  were  reviewed  by 
the  Supreme  Court  and  the  evidence  is  indubitable. 
Doubtless  inquiry  W'Ould  disclose  other  cases.  Depravity 
has  never  got  such  hold  here  that  our  Courts  and  juries 
would  not  hang  a  man  guilty  of  murdering  his  slave  as 
soon  as  any  other  murdered. 

iS^EW  York  City. 


1216  NoJiTn  Oakolina  Histokical  Commission. 

To  \V.  L.  Sprinf/s. 

June  1  ISGS. 

Our  late  so  called  Con\'eiitioii  caused  only  a  few  copies 
of  their  Const itution  to  be  printed  in  pamphlet  form, 
those  few  copies  were  sent  only  to  the  faithful,  being  ac- 
companied by  an  address  to  the  people  by  a  committee  of 
their  body  nrging  the  ratification.  Not  a  single  copy  of 
this  was  sent  to  me.  I  cannot  furnish  yon,  therefore, 
with  a  copy  of  the  instrnment,  unless  I  can  find  an  old 
news-paper  containing  it.  Not  ^  of  those  who  voted 
to  ratify  it  had  read  it  or  heard  it  read.  It  is  a  disgrace 
to  modem  politics  that  the  people  are  to  be  governed  by  a 
constitution,  purporting  to  be  ratified  by  them,  when  four- 
fifths  of  those  by  whose  votes  it  was  ratified,  could  not 
have  read  it,  if  they  had  been  furnished  a  copy,  and  when 
not  one  in  twenty  of  them  was  furnished  a  copy.  By 
order  of  Genl  Canby,  each  voter  was  required  to  vote  on 
one  ticket  for  or  against  the  Constitution  and  for  all  the 
State  and  County  officers.  I  send  you  a  ticket.  This 
enabled  the  Loyal  Leaguers  to  put  a  ticket  in  the  hands 
of  each  of  the  faithful.  There  is  not  one  man  in  one 
hundred,  even  of  the  white  voters ;  and  not  one  in  ten 
thousand  of  the  negro  voters,  who  can  give  the  names  of 
the  persons  for  whom  he  voted.  Such  a  government  can- 
not long  be  respected — and  I  therefore  recommend  that 
you  make  no  investment  in.  our  securities,  based  on  the 
action  of  the  Convention.  While  the  Constitution  makes 
the  wholesome  provision  that  the  Legislature  shall  provide 
for  paying  the  State  debt,  the  same  body  authorized  the 
issue  of  some  five  millions  of  State  bonds,  in  aid  of  sun- 
dry works  of  Internal  improvement,  Avhich  bonds  they 
knew  would  be  sold  by  the  several  companies  at  about  half 
their  face.  They  did  not  contemplate  their  payment.  No 
debtor  who  promises  to  pay  a  dollar  for  fifty  cents,  intends 
to  pay. 

At  no  distant  day  I  hope  and  believe,  that  all  the  re- 


Correspondence  of  Jonathan  Worth.  121' 

construction  acts  and  the  doings  of  State  Conventions 
called  in  pursuance  of  this  unconstitutional  act  and  devil- 
ish legislation,  will  be  wiped  out  by  returning  national 
sanity. 

My  opinion  is  that  investments  in  our  State  stocks,  es- 
pecially in  the  bonds  issued  under  the  ordinance  of  our 
late  Convention,  are  very  insecure. 

Philadelphia,  Pa, 


To  B.  S.  Hedrick. 

Raleigh,  K.  C.  June  2nd  1868. 

I  go  to  Chapel  Hill  to-day  with  Gov.  Seymour  of  Conn.,  Political  matters. 
who  is  to  deliver  the  address  before  the  Societies — and 
cannot  find  time  to  carry  out  your  sensible  suggestion  in 
your  letter  to  Major  Bagley — that  I  present  my  views  of 
a  Constitution  for  jSTorth  Carolina,  looking  to  what  is 
practicable  and  to  national  government. 

If  I  had  time  to  carry  out  your  suggestion  I  would 
make  our  old  Constitution  the  basis.  It  looked  to  the 
protection  of  the  non-property  holder,  by  allowing  every 
male,  white  or  black,  of  the  age  of  21  years,  the  right  to 
vote  for  a  member  of  the  Commons — provided  he  had 
paid  a  public  tax — proving  he  had  any  interest  in  the 
well-being  of  society. 

The  voters  and  members  of  the  Senate  were  required 
to  own  a  certain  quantity  of  lands,  agriculture  being  the 
great  interest  of  the  State.  As  the  concurrence  of  both 
branches  of  the  General  Assembly  was  essential  to  the 
enactment  of  law,  this  scheme  protected  the  two  great  ele- 
ments of  loyalty — the  property,  and  the  non-property  hol- 
der. I  can  never  cease  to  admire  this  evidence  of  wis- 
dom in  the  formation  of  our  first  Constitution. 

Had  I  the  time  to  carry  out  your  suggestion,  I  would 
make    our    old    Constitution    the    basis  and    would    not 
Vol.  2—36 


1218  North  Carolina  Historical  Commission. 

r(.'|)ine  one  luiinitc.  I  would  prefer  that  a  tax 
of  $5.  on  real-estate  paid  a  vear  in  advanee  of  the  elec- 
tion should  he  snhstituted  for  50  acres  of  land,  as  a  q\udi- 
lication  of  an  elector  for  the  Senate;  and  that  a  tax  of 
$1^0.00  paid  one  year  in  advance  of  an  election,  to  quality 
a  man  to  be  elected  a  Senator.  But,  1  would  he  content, 
if  deemed  more  ])ractical  just  now,  with  the  exact  pro- 
visions of  the  old  Constitution. 

The  nniversal  suffrage  princii^le,  for  both  branches  of 
the  law-making  })ower,  I  regard  as  undermining  civili- 
zation. 

I  would  embrace  the  ordinances  of  our  Convention  of 

•  1865,  abolishing  slavery — and,  if  necessary  to  make  the 

fecheine  practical,   the  provision  al)olishing  the  war  debt. 

This  scheme  would  protect  the  recently  emancipated 
slave.  He  would,  be  placed  on  the  same  footing  with 
white  men.  His  rights  would  be  fully  protected  by  the 
House  of  Commons — and  the  Senate  would  protect  the 
great  Agricultural  interests  of  the  State. 

To  make  any  scheme  practical,  it  should  eonfoi-m,  as 
near  as  possible,  to  our  established  idea  of  govermnent. 
Xo  people  will  readily  yield  to  numerous  and  important 
innovations  on  their  ancient  laws  and  customs. 

Such  an  exhibition  of  respect  for  the  government  estab- 
lished liy  our  wise  and  ]iatriotic  ancestors  would  reconcile 
our  people  to  Republicanism.  The  present  plans  will  re- 
sult in  settled  sectional  hatred  and  damage  to  all  the 
people. 

If  there  be  the  slightest  ground  to  hope  that  party  rage 
has  so  far  subsided  that  the  voice  of  reason  may  be  heard, 
T  would  most  gladly  go  to  Washington,  and  confer  with 
Re]iublicans  as  to  a  compromise  on  the  above  basis.  I  | 
infer,  from  your  suggestion,  that  you  think  some  rational 
compromise  could  be  effected.  If  any  be  practicable  I  do 
not  doubt  that  I  might  contril)ute  essentially  to  effect 
such  result  and  would  willingly  go  to  Washington  to  add 
mv   mite.      The  Government   beina'  established     for    this 


I 

i 


COKRESPONDENCE    OF    JONATHAN    WoRTH.  1219 

State  is  so  utterly  absurd,  that  no  rational  man  can  look 
to  that  quiet  submission  to  it,  essential  to  the  well-being 
of  Society — and  it  is  scarcely  possible  that  the  Jlei)ublican 
party  can  long  survive  on  its  present  policy. 
Washington,  D.  C. 


To  Joslnta  L.  Lee 

Raleigh.  June  3  1SG8. 

Yr,  package  of  X.  C.  Treas.  notes  came  to  hand  this 
morning.  I  am  sorry  to  say  to  you  that  you  have  been 
misiiiforniod.  Xothing  can  be  realised  from  them  at 
present. 

Comrs.  were  appointed  under  an  act  of  the  last  Genl. 
Assembly  to  investigate  and  report,  what  indebtedness  of 
the  State  contracted  during  the  war,  ought  to  be  paid 
under  the  ordinances  of  the  Convention  of  1865.  They 
submitted  a  report,  recommending  the  payment  of  certain 
debts — but  there  has  been  no  session  of  the  Assembly  since 
the  making  of  the  report,  and  consequently  even  if  the 
report  should  propose  to  pay  a  part  of  your  notes,  it  will 
not  avail  you  until  ratified  by  a  future  Genl  Assembly. 
It  will  l)e  worth  while  to  preserve  your  notes — but  I  fear 
you  will  never  get  any  thing  for  them.  How  shall  I  re- 
turn them  to  you  ?  You  had  better  get  some  one  passing 
to  call  for  them  and  not  pay  express  charges  on  them. 

Give  my  kindest  regards  to  Mrs.  Kendall.  I  should  be 
truly  glad  to  see  her. 

TirOMA.SVILLE. 


To  Ajidrric  Johnson. 

June  5fh  1S6S. 
I  see  there  has  been  no  apiiointment  made  of  Commis-  Rec-ommending 

'  '  .  B.  S.  Hodrick. 

sioners  of  Patents — and,  feeling  that  X.  Carolina  might 


1220  North  Carolina  Historical  Commission. 

well  claim  some  additional  recognitiou,  at  the  hands  of 
the  Government,  in  the  way  of  appointments,  I  again  take 
the  liberty  of  suggesting  and  recommending  to  you  for 
this  appointment,  Prof.  B.  S.  Hedrick,  of  this  State,  hold- 
ing at  present  the  position  of  Examiner  in  that  office. 
Prof.  H.  is  a  gentleman  and  a  scholar  of  high  scientific 
attainments,  and  would  in  every  way  honor  the  position. 
He  is  a  Republican,  bitterly  opposed  to  Holden,  and  not, 
I  am  sure,  unfriendly  to  you.  I  should  feel  highly  grati- 
fied if  you  could  find  it  consistent  with  the  public  inter- 
ests to  nominate  him  to  the  Senate. 


To  C.  B.  Mallett. 

Raleigh  June  10th  186S. 

Yours  of  the  8th  inst.  is  just  received. 

I  am  grievously  perplexed  as  to  the  issue  of  bonds  for 
sundry  works  of  Int.  improvement  reported  to  have  been 
authorised  by  ordinances  of  the  late  Convention.  I  say 
''reported"  because  I  cannot  see  the  ordinances.  They 
are  not  filed  in  the  office  of  the  Sec.  of  State.  I  hear 
that  they  provide  that  the  bonds  ordered  shall  be  signed 
by  the  Govr.  and  Treasr — but  does  this  mean  the  present 
''so  called"  Govr.  and  Treas. — or  the  incoming  "loyal" 
ofl&cers  ? 

The  Pub.  Tr.,  Judge  Pearson,  and,  as  I  understand, 
the  lawyers  generally  hold  that  none  of  these  ordinances 
have  any  validity  until  Congress  shall  ratify  the  Consti- 
tution, unless  they  be  ratified  by  Genl.  Canby. 

I  am  noiu  in  nuhibus  and  quite  dizzy: — will  try  to 
recover  my  vision  soon — and  if  I  decide  to  sign  the  Chat- 
ham bonds  wall  order  the  preparation  of  yours  wathout 
delay. 

Fayetteville. 


i 


Correspondence  of  Jonathan  Worth.  1221 

To  B.  W.  Ives. 

June  12  1868. 

Yours  of  the  9th  inst.  is  received  asking  me  to  use  my 
official  influence  to  release  jow  from  imprisonment  under 
a  decision  of  a  Court  martial  in  time  of  j)eace,  you  being 
a  civilian. 

As  to  the  merits  of  your  case  I  know  nothing  except- 
ing what  you  represent : — and  I  cannot,  simply  upon  your 
represeniation,  interfere.  It  is  not  probable  that  I  could 
quicken  the  attention  of  the  Federal  authorities  to  your 
grievance  even  if  you  presented  a  proper  case  for  my 
interposition.  I  think  you  have  no  reason  to  hope,  save 
in  the  return  of  the  nation  to  sanity.  There  is  good 
reason  to  hope  for  this. 

MoEEHEAD  City. 


To  Charles  A.  Eldridge. 

June  15  1868. 
I  infer  from  Congressional  proceedings  that    the    gov-  outlining:  condi- 

r^  •        1  1  111  1  1       t^ion*  i"  t^e  State. 

ernment  of  this  State  is  shortly  to  be  placed  under  the 
control  of  a  set  of  officers  disgusting  to  nearly  all  our 
people  having  property  or  reasonable  intelligence.  That 
the  negTO  vote,  consolidated  by  secret  societies,  with  the 
co-operation  of  a",  few  meaner  whites,  with  the  aid  of  Genl. 
Canby's  general  ticket  order,  elected  nearly  all  the  State 
officers  and  about  two-thirds  of  the  Legislature.  About 
all  the  Kadicals  elected  as  State  officers,  and  probably  a 
majority,  (excluding  negroes)  elected  as  members  of  the 
Genl.  Assembly,  are  excluded  by  the  provisions  of  the 
Howard  amendment  and  the  iron-clad  oath.  They  are 
expecting  a  dispensation,  by  act  of  Congress.  Without 
such  act  their  Govr.  and  Judges  and  most  of  their  mem- 
bers of  the  Legislature,  Sheriffs  Clerks,  etc  could  not 
qualify.  Will  it  not  be  well  to  offer  an  amendment  grant- 
ing the  same  dispensation  to  all  persons  elected  ? 


1222  NoETii  Carolina  Historical  Commission. 

Xoarly  all  the  rt'spoctahilitv  of  the  Senate  belono-s  to 
the  one-third  of  Aiiti-Radicals.  If  they  are  excluded 
(I  presume  not  one  of  them  would  take  the  iron-clad  oath) 
then  two  thirds  of  the  Assembly  will  adopt  the  Howard 
amendment — etc. — etc.  Is  it  the  policy  to  give  rope  to 
these  red  Republicans?  We  would  like  to  have  a  few 
conservatives  to  watch  their  motions.  If  a  general  pro- 
vision be  not  adopted  gTanting  dispensation  to  all  who 
have  been  elected,  w^e  shall  not  have  a  conservative  mem- 
ber in  the  Assembly,  so  far  as  I  know. 

W.\SIIlNGTON,   D.    C. 


To  Addison  Coffin. 

June  15  1S0S. 

Yours  of  the  8th  inst.  is  received,  for  which  please  ac- 
cept my  thanks. 

The  Radicals  in  and  out  of  the  State  have  kept  up  such 
a  constant  succession  of  lies  to  make  the  impression  at 
the  jS'orth,  that  we  are  a  set  of  devils  here  that  I  long 
since  despaired  of  being  able  to  counteract  their  malice, 
trusting  to  time  to  correct  the  evil — and  sure  of  one 
thing — namely  conscious  rectitude.  I  have  ever  been 
ready  and  am  still  ready  to  vindicate  the  Quakers,  and 
only  regret  to  find  many  of  them  now  sustaining  such 
villians  as  Holden  because  he  professes  now  to  be  radical 
and  he  has  obtained  favor  with  the  negroes  and  dominant 
power  of  the  nation  by  propagating  the  lie  to  which  you 
refer  and  thousand   others  less   pardonable. 

Anno,  Iowa. 


To  William  A.  (JraJiam. 

June  10  IS 68. 

Asking  advice  as         What  reuicdv  is  there  for  the  villainous  govei-nment  im- 

to  how  to  avoid  '  ^ 

removal.  posed  on  US  ?     There  is  no  ground  to  hope  that  the  new 


Correspondence  of  Jonathan  Worth.  1223 

Cuus^titiition  can  be  anieiicled  excluding  universal  negro 
suffrage,  at  any  early  day,  if  at  all,  under  tlie  pro\'isions 
of  loth  Art.  of  said  Constitution.  Once  the  new  State 
government  is  put  in  operation,  even  if  the  Supreme  Court 
of  L".  S.  should  in  some  case  decide  the  re-construction 
acts  unconstitutional,  I  do  not  see  how  we  are  to  get  the 
benefit  of  such  decision,  all  the  offices  of  the.  State  being- 
filled  by  men  elected  under  this  new  Constitution.  So  far 
as  I  know  or  have  heard  no  further  effort  is  couicuiplated 
to  obstruct  the  new  order  of  things,  but  1  do  not  know 
of  any  sufficient  reason  for  despairin.g  of  relief  from  the 
Supreme  Court  of  the  U.  S.  Fersonally  I  prefer  to  re- 
tire, but  I  shrink  from  no  responsibility  which  duty  im- 
poses. When  Ilolden  shall  demand  of  me  to  vacate,  would 
you  advise  that  I  yield  to  the  demand,  with  or  without 
protest — or  that  I  refuse  to  yield  to  it  Avitli  the  view  of 
raising  the  question  as  to  the  constitutionality  of  the  law 
under  which  he  claims  to  be  elected  ?  Could  I  get  up 
the  question  by  such  refusal  i  If  put  under  arrest  I  have 
no  idea  that  any  of  our  judiciary  would  relieve  me  on 
habeas  corpus  ?  I  think  Brooks  would  jirobably  find  ways 
to  avoid  action.  I  do  not  know  whether  I  could  ask  Judge 
Chase  for  a  Writ  of  Habeas  Corpus,  he  not  being  in  the 
State  at  the  time,  but  suppose  I  could  not.  I  Avould  be 
glad  to  have  your  views  touching  these  matters. 

HiLLSBORO. 


To  C.  B.  Mall  at. 

Ealeigh,  June  IS  1SG8. 

Yours  of  the  15th  inst.  is  received. 

I  presume  Holden  will  oust  me  about  the  1  July.  [ 
don't  understand  a  ]u-oclamation  based  on  an  act  of  (Con- 
gress, which  is  not  yet  an  act — but  do  understand,  that, 
backed  by  the  military,  he  may  do  what  he  pleases. 

I  think  he  will  cause  the  bonds  to  issue  to  vour  Koad. 


1224  North  Carolina  Historical  Commission. 

I  feel  personal  relief  at  the  prospect  of  getting  clear 
of  my  anomalons  responsibilities  but  grieve  that  such 
villains  as  Holden  and  his  co-adjutors  are  inade  helmsmen 
for  the  good  old  ship  of  State. 

Fayetteville. 


To  Edward  (Joningland. 

June  22  1868. 

Besides  the  difficulties  you  suggest  as  to  the  appoint- 
ment of  a  judge  to  hold  a  Court  of  Oyer  and  Terminer, 
is  the  expected  transition  of  the  State  government,  in 
which  case  it  might  be  held  that  the  appointee  could  not 
hold  the  Court  under  my  Commission.  In  view  of  this 
difficulty  I  have  regarded  it  inexpedient,  to  limit  myself 
to  Mitchell  and  Buxton,  now  judges,  and  who  will  be 
judges  under  the  new  regime — and  also  to  consult  Holden 
to  know  whether  he  will  confirm  my  appointment,  in  case 
he  be  inaugurated  before  the  day  which  the  judge  may 
appoint  for  the  holding  of  the  Court.  He  answers  that 
he  will  confirm  my  appointment  if  the  Genl  Assembly 
interpose  no  obstacles.  I  send  a  Commission  to  Judge 
Mitchell  to  hold  the  Court,  and  have  notified  him  of  your 
suggestion  that  he  fix  on  the  1st  Monday  of  July  as  the 
time  when  the  Court  will  be  opened.  You  know  the 
judge  appoints  the  day. 

Halifax. 


To  II.  G.  Leiseriuri. 

June  SO  IS  OS. 

oSis"°'°^"'  ^^^^  ^fter  you  left  I  got  a  few  of  the  Radical  tickets 
for  the  ratification  of  the  State  Constitution  and  election 
of  State  and  County  officers.     I  inclose  one. 

This  election   was  held   by   poll-keepers   appointed  by 
Genl.  Canby.     I  officially  asked  him  to  appoint  one  man 


Correspondence  of  Jonathan  Worth.  1225 

to  be  designated  by  the  party  opposed  to  the  ratification 
of  the  Constitution  to  supervise  and  see  the  votes  counted 
at  each  precinct.  ,  He  declined  to  grant  my  request.  Many 
of  the  poll  keepers  were  candidates. 

Three  of  the  members  elect  to  Congress,  French,  Ileaton 
and  Deweese,  are  carpet  baggers  and  did  not  pay  a  cent 
of  tax  for  State  or  County  purposes  last  year. 

Menninger  and  Ashley  are  carpet  baggers,  having  no 
interest  in  the  well-being  of  State.  Coleman  stands  in- 
dicted in  his  County,  Cabarrus,  for  an  attempt  to  commit 
a  rape  on  a  negro  woman,  the  wife  of  a  negro.  Jenkins 
was  a  negro  trader.  Rodman  was  a  violent  Secessionist 
and  served  as  military  judge  in  the  Confederate  army. 
Dick  was  a  member  of  the  Convention  which  voted  that 
State  out  of  the  Union.  Settle  was  a  Captain  in  the  Con- 
federate army — who  resigned  his  commission  when  the 
fight  waxed  hot — E.  G.  Reade  was  a  Senator  in  the  Con- 
federate Congress.  Most  of  the  elected  Judges  of  the 
Supr.  Courts  are  men  without  reputation  as  lawyers — - 
and  Tourgee — carpet  bagger — never  practised  law  in  this 
State — or  elsewhere,  so  far  as  is  kno^vn  here. 

Philadelphia,  Pa. 


To  General  Canhy. 

Raleigh  July  2nd  1S6S. 

I  know  of  no  principle  of  Constitutional  law  which 
restrains  a  State  from  taxing  the  income  of  its  citizens, 
no  matter  from  what  source  derived.  I  think  a  law  taxing 
specially  income  derived  from  TJ.  S.  bonds  would  be  un- 
constitutional, as  placing  the  State  in  antagonism  to  the 
United  States. 

I  am  unable  to  refer  you  to  any  adjudication  touching 
this  point,  but  entertain  no  doubt  to  the  right  of  the  State 
to  tax  the  general  income  of  a  citizen,  including  income 
derived  from  untaxable  U.  S.  bonds  and  all  other  sources. 


]22G  XoKTH  Cakolina  Histokical  Commission. 

1  do  not  know  wlietlicr  vou  ex})e('t  an  answer  from  you, 
since  you  i-eniovcd  me  from  otHee,  but  answer  for  what 
it  may  he  worth. 


Julv  t'clebratiou. 


To  J .  r.  Andre irs. 

Rai.eigh.  JuIij  J^fli  18(hS. 

iwt''in'Kourtifor  ^lajor  Baglej  informed  me  yesterday  evening  that 
yon  had  mentioned  to  him  that  it  was  desirable  to  yon 
to  know  whether  I  accepted  your  invitation  to  join  in  the 
ceremonies  of  this  ]S^ational  Anniversary.  It  had  not  oc- 
curred to  me  that  yon  expected  an  answer  to  your  invi- 
tation. 

I  wouhl  most  willingly  have  joined  in  the  proposed 
ceremonies  if  satisfied  that  the  proceedings  contemplated 
lu'ld  no  connection  with  partizan  politics.  The  inquiries 
I  have  made  have  led  me  to  believe  that  the  prominent 
features  in  the  programme  of  the  day  are  intended  rather 
as  a  party  ovation,  than  the  celebration  of  a  National 
epoch,  and  being  nnwilling  to  desecrate  the  day  by  con- 
necting its  festivities  with  party  passion  and  feeling  I 
decline  to  accept  your  invitation. 

Raleigh. 


2\j  JoJin  Baxter. 

Ealeigh,  JuIu  is  ISOS. 
*****  *  * 

Hnrrali  for  Seymour  and  Blair,  Believing  that  it  is  al- 
ways expedient  to  do  right  I  would  have  preferred  the 
nomination  of  Andrew  Johnson  and  J.  Q.  Adams,  but 
will  support  with  zeal  any  body  opposed  to  Radicalism. 
Gov.  Holden  is  still  himself.  He  a^^points  Genl.  Laflin, 
a  miserable  carpet  bag  fop  without  projDerty  or  intelli- 
gence and  no  sympathy  with  us,  to  represent  X.  C.'s  in- 


CoKRESrONDENCE    OF    JoNATHAN   WoRTII.  1227 

terest  in  X.  C.  R.  Rs.     All  his  noiiiiiiatioiis  are  character- 
istic. 

KXO.XVIT.LE^    TeNN. 


To  F rani'  B.  Goddard. 

Raleigh,  N.  C.  July  1-illi   ISGS. 
Yours  of  the  10th  iust.  addressed  to  me  as  Gov.  of  X.  C.  l?"'"^;'"!'^^^^,: 

tion  about  >orth 

finds  me  disrobed  of  office  under  the  military  power  ex-  <'«-''o''"'^- 
ercised  by  the  fraction  of  the  Congress,  contemplated  by 
the  Constitution  of  the  U.  S.,  and  I  am  in  some  doubt 
whether  you  desire  the  letter  from  me,  or  the  Gentleman 
now"  claiming  to  be  Govr.  of  X.  C.  If  my  answer  which 
I  inclose  shall  not  serve  your  j^urpose,  you  can  cast  it 
aside  and  ask  Govr.  Plolden  to  supply  the  information 
desired. 

The  partizan  representation  which  foreigners  or  Yan- 
kees who  come  to  settle  among  us  as  permanent  citizens, 
where  they  treat  us  respectfully  and  do  not  make  it  too 
conspicuous  that  they  come  among  us  to  seek  the  offices, 
and  to  rule  over  us  by  catering  to  the  prejudices  and  pas- 
sions of  the  ])Oor  negro,  is  a  slander  on  us.  In  every  lo- 
cality in  the  State  we  receive  with  hospitable  cordiality 
every  worthy  immigrant  who  comes  to  settle  among  us. 
The  best  of  our  people  detest  the  professing  Generals, 
Colonels,  etc.  who  pay  no  taxes  here  but  get  into  the  best 
offices  by  the  votes  of  the  negroes  and  our  base  natives 
who  seek  office  by  the  same  ignoble  means.  The  bona  fide 
settler  who  comes  here  to  improve  his  conditiiai  and  thus 
benefit  the  State  is  every  where  received  Avitli  cordiality. 

The  delightful  and  healthy  climate,  the  fertility  and 
cheapness  of  our  lands,  our  inviting  mineral  resources 
and  the  universal  anxiety  of  the  majority  of  our  ])oo]de 
to  have  immigrants  come  among  us  to  ini]n"ove  and  dv- 
velop  our  resources  are  thus  far  unproductive — few  im- 
migrants come  here,  because  partizan  rc]n-esentations  have 


1228  NoKTH  Carolina  Historical  Commission. 

made  the  false  impression  that  we  are  a  set  of  savages. 
North  Carolina  can  boldly  challenge  comparison  of  her 
statisticks  of  crime  and  the  purity  of  her  judiciary  and 
other  civil  institutions,  as  primarily  continued,  with  any 
other  State  of  America,  or  any  other  Country.  It  would 
be  untrue  to  represent  that  the  great  body  of  our  popu- 
lation is  content  with  our  government  [^Line  illegible^  in 
which  every  [illegible']  purporting  to  be  a  civil  govern- 
ment. The  Govr.  of  the  State  holds  his  commission  from 
a  Major  Genl  of  the  U.  S.  Ai-my.  Such  is  the  case  now 
from  the  Governor  do^Miwards. 

We  have  seven  members  of  Congress.  Three  of  them — 
French,  Heaton  and  Deweese,  foimd  their  way  here  since 
the  war  as  professing  officers  of  the  U.  S.  J^ot  one  of 
them  contributed  a  dime  last  year  in  support  of  the  State 
government  or  the  poor.  We  hope  this  state  of  political 
affairs  which  places  government  in  the  hands  of  the  ig- 
norant and  ignoble,  will  be  corrected.  If  this  shall  hap- 
pen, I  doubt  whether  any  clime  can  be  found  offering 
more  attractions  to  an  honest  and  industrious  immigrant 
than  North  Carolina. 

The  State  has  a  University  at  which  were  educated^ 
Thos.  H.  Benton,  James  K.  Polk,  and  many  others  who 
have  held  high  places  in  the  Government  service.  A 
Lunatick  and  Deaf  and  Dumb  Asylum  admirably  con- 
ducted up  to  this  time,  mth  spacious  and  commodious 
buildings.  The  present  dominant  party  here  suspended 
the  operations  of  the  University,  removed  the  supt.  of 
the  asylum  for  lunatics,  and  changed  the  Directory  of 
all  these  institutions,  hitherto  under  the  discretion  of 
the  best  educated  and  most  virtuous  of  our  population, 
and  put  in  power  over  them  mere  partizans,  among  them 
a  recent  immigrant  negro — every  one  of  them  distin- 
guished, not  for  learning  and  probity,  but  for  zeal  as  a 
Radical. 

A  truthful  exhibit  of  all  the  facts  tending  to  enlighten 
those  who  may  think  of  settling  in  this  State,  demands. 


COEKESPONDENCE    OF    JONATHAN    WoRTH.  1229 

as  I  think,  this  exposition  of  our  political  condiLioii,  but 
if  you  deem  it  expedient  you  may  omit  this  part  of  my 
narrative. 

The  two  printed  documents  I  send  you,  both  prepared 
under  my  auspices,  may  be  relied  on  as  entirely  authentic. 

Any  amount  of  land,  in  the  sandy  portion  of  the  State, 
which  is  peculiarly  suitable  for  the  culture  of  the  scupper- 
nong  grape — and  which  is  generally  very  salubrious,  may 
be  bought  at  from  $1.  to  $2.  per  acre. 

ISTew  York  City. 


To  17.  M.  Rohhins. 

Ealeigii  July  16  1868. 

I  send  you  a  report  which  I  made  to  the  Legislature 
in  1867  and  request  you  to  read  it.  It  was  submitted  at 
a  time  of  great  political  excitement  and  about  the  close 
of  the  session  and  received  little  or  no  attention. 

It  contained  a  report  upon  the  facts  set  forth  touching 
the  interest  of  the  State  in  the  C.  F.  and  Deep  Eiver 
project.  The  report  was  that  the  whole  interest  of  the 
State  had  been  sold  [illegible^  transferred  to  the  Deep 
Eiver  transportation  Co.  [Several  lines  are  here  illeg- 
ible.'] It  was  a  deed  signed  only  by  Govr.  Vance  and 
myself.  The  facts  of  its  not  being  signed  by  our  Direc- 
tory [Several  lines  are  illegible'].  Nothing  was  left  ex- 
cept the  machinery  of  two  [_illegible],  a  pump  at  Wilming- 
ton and  the  decayed  locks,  etc.  [illegible].  The  pump, 
which  cost  $1250. ;  and  for  the  storage  of  which  an  enor- 
mous bill  is  accumulated,  and  the  franchise  of  the  boats 
still  belong  to  the  Co.  I  had  no  authority  to  do  any  thing 
with  them. 

As  the  base  of  all  the  lines  remains  firm,  I  thought  the 
franchise  ought  to  be  sold.  If  it  brought  only  a  nominal 
sum  and  the  main  line  was  perfected ;  much  benefit 
would  result  to  the  State — and  I  had  reason  to  hope  that 


1230  XoKTii  Cakoi.ixa  HisToJUCAL  Commission. 

the  iioiilicni  ])r(i})ri('t(n-s  of  the  Egy})t  Coal  mine  with 
others  whom  tlu'V  might  operate  upon  might  bny  the  fran- 
chisee, and  perfect  the  navigation.  It  is  worth  trying,  and 
as  the  work  is  not  likely  to  be  forwarded  by  the  State  and 
in  its  present  condition  is  not  only  worthless  but  a  nui- 
sance. 

These  fragments  of  State  property — the  pump  and  the 
boat  engine  are  worth  nothing.  Nobody  has  now  any 
control  over  them. 

But  the  main  idea  of  the  report  was  the  development  of 
the  Iron  and  Coal  of  Deep  River  by  locating  a  peniten- 
tiary there.  The  principal  idea  was  to  make  the  dam  the 
State  had  built  avail  them  in  construction  of  the  Peni- 
tentiary. [Line  illegible.]  R.  li.  would  employ  the  con- 
victs in  excavating  the  coal  and  iron  ore  and  in  melting 
up  and  in  numufacturing  the  iron  ore.  The  feasibility 
of  the  idea,  then  altogether  theoretical,  has  been  contirme(l 
by  subsequent  information,  as  to  the  practicability  of 
employing  convicts. 

After  the  date  of  this  report  I  sent  the  State  Geologist 
to  examine  the  state  of  the  land,  the  prospects  of  coaJ 
and  iron  and  the  most  eligible  site  for  a  penetentiary  to 
carry  out  my  views.  His  written  report  on  file  represents 
Lockville,  as  the  most  eligible  site  for  a  Penitentiary. 
At  this  point  is  a  dam  and  water  power  of  the  most  sub- 
stantial character.  It  is  on  the  line  of  the  Chatham  R. 
R.  which  I  suppose  will  soon  be  completed.  There  is 
al)undant  material  of  sandstone  on  the  river  for  the  erec- 
tion of  the  proper  buildings,  etc. 

I  regard  it  as  quite  possible  to  make  the  location  of 
our  Penitentiary  at  Lockville,  not  only  accomplish  the 
chief  object  of  punishing  criminals,  but  developing  the 
coal  and  iron  of  Deep  River — supplying  to  our  R.  Rs. 
the  car  wheels  and  rails,  etc.  required,  and  making  avail- 
able to  some  extent  the  expenditures  of  the  State  in 
building  the  dams  on  Deep  River. 

If  these  views  strike  vou  as  of  any  value  I  will  i>iadlv 


II 


COKRESPONDENCE    OF    JONATHAN    WoKTll,  1231 

aid  you  iu  any  way  I  can  in  making  tlicni  available  to 
our  State.  Deplorable  as  is  the  condition  of  our  State  1 
would  struggle  to  the  last  to  renovate  her  prosperity  and 
save  lier  from  the  degradation  which  the  present  ignoble 
rulers  seem  to  be  providing  for  her — and  knowing  that 
i  you  concur  with  me  in  these  views,  I  mako  you  these 
suggestions,  hoping  you  may  turn  them  to  some  account. 
The  report  I  send  you  is  the  only  one  I  have.  A'otwith- 
standing  the  neglect  of  the  Oenl.  Assembly,  I  regard  it 
as  a  respectable  feature  of  my  administration — and  when 
you  sliall  have  considered  its  suggestions,  I  will  be 
obliged  to  you  to  return  it  to  me. 


To  Bev.  S.  S.  Asliley.' 

Rat.eiok  Juh/  IGtli    186S. 

I  received  to-day  your  communication  of  the  loth  inst. 
covering  resolution  of  the  Board  of  Education,  of  the 
9th  inst.,  authorising  you  to  receive  from  me  "all  books, 
papers  and  all  other  property  of  the  Literary  Board  that 
may  be  in  my  possession. 

This  resolution  seems  to  be  based  on  the  idea  that  I 
have  in  my  possession  some  of  the  books,  papers,  or  other 
property  of  the  Literary  Board.  On  surrendering  my 
office  as  Executive  of  the  State,  all  such  "books,  papers 
and  other  property"  were  left  in  their  appropriate  place 
in  the  capitol,  and  I  am  surprised  at  a  resolution  which 
assumes  that  I  retain  any  of  them  in  my  possession.  If 
you  need  assistance  in  finding  them,  my  late  private 
Secv.,  ^laior  Baglev,  will  give  all  necessarv  information, 
if  called  upon  for  this  purpose:  but  as  they  are  methodi- 
cally arranged  in  the  capitol  T  suppose  the  resolution   is 


1  Superintendent  of  Public  Instruction  of  North  Carolina,  a  native 
of  Massachusetts,  and  later  one  of  the  most  despised  of  the  "cariict- 
baggers."     He  had  been  a  member  of  the  convention  of  1808. 


1232  !N^ORTii  Carolina  Historical  Commission. 

predicated  on  the  assumption  that  I  retain  some  of  these 
documents  in  my  possession.     I  cannot  imagine  on  what 
this  mistaken  assumption  is  based. 
Ealeigh,  N.  C. 


To  William  W.  Holden. 

Raleigh  July  16/68. 
I  inclose  memorial  of  Protest  of  Kentucky,  transmitted 
to  me  to  be  laid  before  the  Legislature  of  North  Caro- 
lina, There  has  been  no  session  of  the  Genl.  Assembly 
after  the  date  of  this  protest,  to  which  I  could  transmit 
the  same.  I  place  them  in  your  hands  to  do  with  them 
what  you  deem  proper. 


To  Colonel  W.  G.  Moore. 

Raleigh,  July  16  1868. 

Recommend iiiff  I  am  verv  solicitous  for  the  pardon  of  the  persons  men- 

certain  pardons.        _  ^  .       . 

tioned  in  your  late  communication.  I  am  not  personally 
acquainted  with  them  and  am  influenced  only  by  what 
I  deem  justice.  Owing  to  the  multitude  of  the  Presi- 
dent's cares  I  fear  he  has  not  read  my  letter.  I  hope 
you  will  not  feel  that  I  am  imposing  too  much  in  asking 
you  to  exert  yourself  in  the  matter  and  get  the  Presi- 
dent's attention  drawn  to  it.  [The  next  few  lines  are 
illegible.]  He  has  appointed  as  Trustees  of  the  Univer- 
sity and  Directors  of  the  Asylums  for  the  Insane  and  the 
Deaf  and  Dumb,  a  miserable  set  of  carpet  baggers,  ne- 
groes and  baser  natives.  We  managed  to  keep  up  through 
the  war  and  since,  our  University  and  Asylums.  Hith- 
erto our  men  most  distinguished  for  virtue  and  learning 
and  intelligence  have  guided  their  operations.  The  ope- 
rations of  the  University  are  suspended  by  an  edict  of 


COEEESPOJSTDENCE    OF    JoNATHAxX    WoRTH.  123i 

our  Scalawag  Govr.  and  his  allies.  The  old  Supt.  of  the 
Lunatic  Asylum  who  has  most  acceptably  tilled  the  place 
from  the  foundation  of  the  institution  is  removed  and  a 
miserable  scalawag,  distinguished  for  nothing  save  his 
fervor  as  a  Confederate  officer  while  our  army  were  suc- 
cessful, and  ignoble  subserviency  since  to  our  conquerors, 
is  his  successor.  Oh  my  country ! !  Holden  has  even  is- 
sued an  order  displacing  the  Mayor  and  other  municipal 
officers  of  the  City  and  putting  in  their  place  a  set  of 
poor  devils  of  his  stripe.  Our  Mayor  refused  to  recognize 
his  authority  and  an  appeal  went  up  to  Massa  Canby 
who  refused  to  act  until  the  parties  were  more  fully 
heard.  He  still  claims  to  be  arbiter — but  shows  more 
•sense  than  common  in  desiring  to  hear  both  sides  before 
deciding.  I  do  not  doubt  that  his  subservient  tools,  called 
the  Genl  Assembly,  will  furnish  Holden  with  a  military 
force  corresponding  to  Brownlow's  and  that  the  fate  of 
Tennessee  awaits  us. 
Wasiii^s; GTON,  D.  C. 


To  Dr.  M.  A.  Johe. 

Kaleigh  July  18/68. 
Xeill  McKay  who  sends  the  within  is  a  very  intelligent 
and  prominent  citizen  of  Harnett — has  represented  his 
County  several  times  in  the  Genl.  Assembly — was  State 
solicitor  for  his  judicial  circuit  under  the  old  dynasty — 
^nd  was  re-elected  under  the  new — and  the  other  peti- 
tioners are  men  of  high  standing  in  Harnett.  I  earnestly 
commend  their  suggestions  to  your  favorable  considera- 
tion, there  being  so  far  as  I  know,  no  other  community 
sufferino;  so  badlv  for  want  of  mail  facilities. 


Vol.  2—37 


1234  North  Cakolina  Historical  Commission. 

To  Cede  in  Graves. 

July  21  1867. 

Your  eommiuiication  has  been  forwarded  to  Dr.  John 
with  eiidorsemeiit  from  iiie  likely  to  secure  iiiiiiiediate 
action. 

I  thank  you  for  the  expressions  of  approval  of  my 
efforts  to  discharge  the  embarrassing  duties  of  my  posi- 
tion. I  am  sure  you  can  appreciate  them.  I  am  con- 
stantly drifting  between  Scylla  and  Charybdis.  It  is  diffi- 
cult indeed  to  guide  the  shattered  bark  [without  i]  a  word 
from  an  intelligent  member  of  the  crew,  especially  amidst 
the  continuons  cries  of  many  who  seem  willing  to  see 
the  vessel  go  to  pieces,  in  the  hope  of  enriching  themselves 
of  the  wreck. 


To  11'.  11'.  Holden. 

Ealeigh,  July  2S  1868. 
Penitentiary  ^9,  stated  in  the  within  letter  from  Mr.  Wiggins,   at 

the  instance,  or  rather  by  the  order  of  Genl.  Sickles,  I 
summoned  Mr.  Wiggins,  R.  Y.  McAden  and  J.  C.  Har- 
per, Mr.  Harper  being  then  Chm  of  the  House  branch 
of  the  joint  committee  on  Finance,  Mr.  Wiggins  Chm  of 
the  Senate  branch  and  Mr.  McAden  Speaker  of  the  House 
of  Commons,  who  together  with  the  Public  Treasurer 
and  myself,  as  a  board,  were  directed  by  this  order  Xo. 
114,  to  consider  and  report  upon  the  expediency,  practica- 
bility and  cost  of  providing  a  suitable  temporary  place 
of  confinement  for  prisoners  undergoing  sentence  for 
felony,  etc.  We  were  directed  "In  determining  the  loca- 
tion to  take"  into  consideration  the  probable  erection 
hereafter  of  a  permanent  Penitentiary  and  the  employ- 
ment of  the  prisoners  in  mining,  or  other  works  on  metals, 
qnarrying  marble,  brick  making,  or  manufactures, 
whereby  the  Penitentiary  may  be  self  supporting  and 
the  convicts  taught  some  useful  art". 


Correspondence  of  Jonathan  Worth.  1235 

Each  of  those  gentlenieii  attended  one  day  upon  iny 
summons.  We  considered  that  we  had  not  the  accurate 
personal  knowledge  to  enable  us  to  answer  satisfactorily 
this  wide  range  of  inquiry:  and  after  directing  a  circu- 
lar to  be  sent  to  our  Sheriffs  to  ascertain  the  number  of 
felons  confined  in  their  respective  jails — the  length  of 
their  imprisonment,  etc :  and  requesting  the  State  Geolo- 
gist to  examine  and  report  to  us  the  condition  of  the  dams 
belonging  to  the  State  on  Deep  River  with  the  view  to 
use  this  water  power  to  drive  the  machinery  needful  in 
a  Penitentiary;  and  the  probabilities  of  obtaining  iron 
and  coal  in  the  vicinity,  and  employing  the  convicts  in 
mining  for  the  same,  etc.  we  adjourned.  I  have  no  au- 
.thority  to  draw  a  draft  to  pay  these  gentlemen  and  they 
were  paid  nothing. 

Before  a  report  was  received,  from  the  State  Geologist 
and  the  Sheriffs,  Genl.  Sickles  was  removed ;  and  as  I 
had  no  authority  to  pay  either  per  diem  or  expenses  to 
the  members  of  the  board,  I  did  not  again  assemble  them. 

The  State  Geologist  made  a  report  which  is  on  file 
in  your  office  and  most  of  the  Sheriffs,  (perhaps  all  of 
them),  responded  to  our  inquiries.  These  answers  are 
also  on  file  in  your  office,  and  certainly  with,  the, report 
of  the  State  Geologist  much  useful  information  touch- 
ing the  subject. 

I  think  these  gentlemen  ought  to  be  paid,  and  that  the 
information  we  collected  ought  to  be  submitted  to  the 
Genl  Assembly,  or  at  least  to  the  Committee  on  the  Peni- 
tentiary question. 


To  ir.  ^Y.  Tlolden. 

Raleigh,  July  29th   ISOS. 

It  is  known  to  you  and  the  public  that  upon  the  occu-  Aocomitofrevwirs 
patiou  of  this  city  by  the  military  forces  of  the  United 
States,  the  Governor's  mansion  was  made  the  Head  Quar- 


1236  North  Cakolina  Historical  Commission. 

ters  of  Gen.  KSlieniiaii,  aucl  that  his  successors  at  this 
military  post,  continued  to  occupy  the  same  until  the 
latter  jjai't  of  the  year  1867,  and  that  during  this  occu- 
pation the  furnishings  all  disappeared,  and  the  property 
was  otherwise  very  greatly  damaged. 

Immediately  after  the  Genl.  Assembly  in  1867  made 
an  appropriation  of  $5000.  to  repair  the  mansion  and 
supply  needful  furniture,  nearly  all  of  which  had  dis- 
appeared, I  applied  to  Genl.  Sickles  for  possession  of 
the  property.  After  much  delay  it  was  surrendered  to 
me  in  July  1867. 

The  Genl  Assembly  contemplated  that  I  would  make 
the  mansion  my  residence  as  soon  as  it  could  be  made 
habitable  by  needful  repairs,  and  proper  furniture  should 
be  supplied.  It  was  supposed  that  the  government  of 
the  United  States  would  pay  rent  for  its  occupation,  at 
least  after  the  President's  proclamation  that  peace  was 
restored ;  and  as  the  law  provided  that  the  Governor,  in 
addition  to  his  salary,  should  be  supplied  with  a  resi- 
dence, the  Governor  was  authorised  to  apply  for  such 
rent,  and  to  apply  the  same  when  received  to  his  own 
use,  to  reimburse  him  for  supplying  his  own  residence. 

My  efforts  to  get  rent  have  been  thus  far  ineffectual. 
The  Quarter  Master  here  upon  my  application,  reported 
what  would  be  a  reasonable  rent,  but  the  Quarter  Master 
Genl.  refused  to  pay  rent  for  State  property  occupied 
by  the  military.  From  this  decision  I  appealed  to  the 
Secretary  of  War.  This  appeal  was  made  preceding  the 
efforts  of  the  President  to  remove  Mr.  Stanton  as  Secre- 
tary of  War,  and  I  have  had  no  response.  My  corre- 
spondence on  the  subject  will  be  found  on  file.  I  have 
received  nothing  for   rent. 

The  repairs  required  consisted  of  the  building  of  a 
new  barn,  which  had  been  entirely  destroyed  while  in 
possession  of  the  military — the  re-fencing  of  the  grounds, 
new  roofs  over  the  principal  buildings,  re-papering  the 
interior  walls,   re-painting,   masonry,   etc.  I  could  make 


Correspondence  of  Jonathan  Worth.  1237 

no  discreet  contract  by  the  job  for  this  various  work.  I 
therefore  employed  M.  B.  Royster,  of  this  city, — a  gen- 
tleman every  way  competent,  to  bny  material,  hire  labor 
and  execute  the  repairs  under  my  direction.  I  agreed 
to  pay  hini  $2.50  per  day.  He  has  performed  his  duties, 
as  I  think,  with  remarkable  judgment,  fidelity  and  econ- 
omy, and  I  am  now  ready  to  exhibit  his  account  accom- 
panied by  vouchers,  to  any  committee  of  the  Genl  As- 
sembly appointed  to  receive  the  same.  The  whole  appro- 
priation has  been  expended  in  repairs;  leaving  nothing 
for  the  purchase  of  new  furniture. 

The  wall  paper  was  purchased  at  wholesale  prices  in 
!N^ew  York — and  Mr.  W.  T.  Clemson,  of  this  city,  em- 
ployed to  paper  the  w^alls.  Towards  the  wind  up  of  the 
papering,  Mr.  Clemson  informed  me  there  was  a  small 
deficiency  of  paper,  which,  upon  my  request,  he  supplied, 
amounting,  as  by  his  bills  filed  with  me,  to  $29.10 — and 
Mr.  Royster's  account,  also  filed  with  me,  with  accom- 
panying vouchers,  shows  a  balance  in  his  hands  of  $7.75, 
which  I  have  directed  him  to  pay  over  to  Mr.  Clemson, 
which  will  reduce  the  amount  due  Mr.  Clemson  to  $21.35 
for  the  payment  of  which  I  hope  the  Genl  Assembly  will 
make  provision. 

I  collected  and  preserved  what  furniture  I  could  find, 
which  I  will   surrender  to  you  on  application. 

I  drew  the  $5000.  as  follows — 

For  repairs  of  furniture 60.30 

For   purchase    of   wall    paper 66S.86 

Drafts  in  favor  of  M.  B.  Royster  as  follows : 

Sept.    5th    1867 1000.00 

Oct.    25          "     1500.00 

Jan.   17  1868 1761..^-!: 

5000.00 


1238  NoKTii  Carolina  Historical  Commisskjn. 

From  B.  G.  Worih. 

jS^ew  York  .Ilikj  1/6S. 
The  deed  is  reported  all  ]-ight  and  Clerk  says  it  will 
be  registered  and  returned  to  us  soon.  I  have  letter  from 
Baxter  in  which  he  says  he  will  concur  in  a  sale  if  one 
can  be  made.  I  have  not  yet  struck  the  right  man  to  take 
it  ill  hand  and  sell  it,  but  think  I  can  when  the  way  is 
all  clear  about  title,  etc.  1  am  disgusted  and  alarmed 
at  the  desperate  course  pursued  by  j-our  successor.  The 
present  rule  is  ruin  certain  and  if  Seymour  and  Blair 
sweep  the  country  and  Reconstruction  is  all  reverted  and 
upset — may  we  not  have  civil  strife  in  its  most  terrible 
form.  The  contest  will  be  heated  and  the  Democracy 
certainly  has  the  inside  track  this  far.  You  may  look 
out  for  this  State.  You  will  agree  with  me  in  mj  esti- 
mate of  our  Brooklyn  Lawyer  Henry  D.  Murphy  who 
drew  the  Platform.  He  is  a  noble  man  and  in  his  Sterling 
Sense  and  moderation  presents  to  my  mind  much  such 
talents  as  I  have  always  attributed  to  you.  I  did  not 
speak  of  him  however  with  a  view  of  wedging  in  a  com- 
plivient  to  you.  I  am  proud  of  him  as  a  citizen  of  Con- 
servative  Brool-lyn. 


From  J.  Henry  Foust. 
Eeed  Creek,  'N'.  C.  August  19th,,  18GS. 

Our  county  has  just  had  a  visit  from  you,  her  most 
honored  son,  and.  many  a  heart  has  felt  a  thrill  of  glad- 
ness in  clasping  you  by  the  hand  and  in  listening  to  the 
tones  of  your  voice  which  has  ever  been  raised  in  de- 
fence of  the  rights  and  interests  of  your  constituents.  I, 
myself,  can  testify  to  such  a  feeling,  and  having  inherited 
from  my  late  lamented  father  a  measure  of  his  implicit 
confidence  in  you,  I  can  as  far  as  my  immature  judgment 


COKRESPOKDENCE    OF    JoNATHAX    AVoitTII,  1239 

and  faculties  are  capable,  appreciate  the  unselfish  devo- 
tion you  have  always  exhibited,  and  your  arduous  labors 
in  behalf  of  constitutional  liberty — the  priceless  legacy 
of  an  illustrious  ancestry.  And  altho'  I  am  painfully 
impressed  with  the  idea  that  some  few  of  your  old  friends 
in  Kaudolph,  from  wide  estrangement  in  political  views, 
no  longer  regard  you  as  such;  still,  I  hope  and  believe, 
that  during  your  brief  stay  amongst  us,  you  found  many, 
aye,  most  of  us  to  be  personally ,  if  not  politically,  your 
staunch,  unchanging  friends.  And  as  regards  the  former 
class,  a  reflection  conies  up  and  I  am  prompted  to  inquire, 
Where  are  they  going?  Our  countryman;  our  Ex-Gov- 
ernor stands  on  the  sound  platform  that  he  did  when  they 
left  him  seven  years  ago  and  aided  in  breaking  up  the 
Government,  and  now  we  find  them  drifting  in  a  channel 
which  diverges  still  more  widely  from  his,  and  we  repeat 
with  emj^hasis  and  anxiety — ivhere  aix  they  going?  God 
grant  that  it  may  not  be  to  the  same  dread  realities  which 
have  once  fallen  to  our  lot. 

I  hope,  sir,  that  you  may  enjoy  in  quiet,  the  blessing 
which  health,  prosperity,  influence,  and  a  devoted  family 
are  able  to  bestow.  Under  ordinary  circumstances  I 
would  not  presume  to  trespass  thus  on  your  patience,  but 
remembering  from  your  own  declaration  that  yon  are 
somewhat  at  leisure,  and  having  had  old  recollections 
forcibly  brought  up  by  your  presence  amongst  us,  I  am 
constrained  to  indulge  in  the  foregoing  and  trust  that 
you  will  not  misconstrue  my  motives,  feeling  and  know- 
ing as  you  must,  the  high  estimation  in  wdiich  you  are 
held  by  all  the  good  people  of  iSTorth  Carolina.  And  I 
am  confident  that  were  my  father  living,  he  would  con- 
cur with  you  in  the  line  of  policy  to  which  you  adhere, 
and  would  heartily  endorse  the  principles  of  the  con- 
servative party.  Personally  my  aims  for  life  have  not 
as  yet  been  definitely  fixed.  With  an  incomplete  edu- 
cation and  contracted  means,  I  find  myself  unable  to  pur- 
sue the  specific  course  intended  for  me;  but  have  never 


1240  NoKTH  Carolina  Historical  Commission. 

despaired  of  being  able  to  enter  my  chosen  profession 
(Law)  even  if  I  have  to  do  so  under  the  difficnlties,  which, 
from  the  present  standpoint,  loom  np  before  me,  and  I 
think  it  wholly  impracticable  for  me  to  continue  my  col- 
legiate course  now,  and  have  thought  lately  of  teaching, 
which  will,  I  believe,  tend  to  further  my  plans  more  rap- 
idly than  the  business  in  which  I  have  recently  been 
engaged. 

Any  suggestion  which  may  be  prompted  by  your  ripe 
Judgment  and  wide  experience,  and  any  counsel  and 
encouragement  which  you  may  give  will  be  duly  appre- 
ciated. I  don't  know  of  any  local  news  which  will  in- 
terest you.  My  brother  returned  a  few  days  since  from 
a  visit  to  Mr.  Wni.  Long  and  reports  that  he  is  in  a  fair 
way  for  recovery.  His  health  and  faculties  are  rapidly 
restoring  and  his  family  entertain  lively  a  hope  of  his 
recovery.  Our  district  clubs  are  organizing.  We  have  a 
meeting  in  Franklinsville  Saturday  for  that  purpose — 
Expect  Mr.  Robins  down.  Our  corn  is  looking  fine  and 
warrants  our  anticipation  of  a  bountiful  crop.  The  fam- 
ilv  are  all  well.  Sister  Emma  has  gone  to  live  with  Sal- 
lie  at  her  home  in  Pitt  Co.     Mv  resiards  to  vour  familv. 


To  Josiah  Turner. 

PiALEiGir,  Aug.  20  1868. 

caa^elsilnlx^^  ^^^  ^^'  ^^^^  homc  from  Asheboro  I  spent  two  days 
nominations.  ^^.j^}^  ^-^j  sou-iu-law  J.  eT.  Jacksou  at  Pittsboro.  A  num- 
ber of  gentlemen  there  iirged  me  to  accept  a  nomination 
to  run  for  Congress  against  Deweese.  In  reflecting  on 
it  since  I  am  of  opinion  that  I  could  be  elected  over  him, 
and  being  entirely  out  of  business  I  think  I  would  not 
decline  the  nomination  if  the  district  convention  should 
tender  it  to  me — but  I  think — I  do  not  hnoiu — that  Mr. 
Pell  will  not  favor  it. — He  prefers,  as  I  think,  the  nomi- 


CoRKESPOJfDENCE    OF    JoNATIIAN    WoKTH.  1241 

nation  of  Mr.  Argo  or  some  other  candidate,  not  barred 
by  the  Howard  amendment,  and  I  regard  it  as  probable 
that  the  nomination  will  be  very  likely  to  be  much  in- 
fluenced by  his  views  and  I  fear  will  result  in  the  re- 
election of  Deweese.  The  floating  vote  consists  of  the 
old  Union  men  and  negroes,  many  of  whom  would  vote 
for  me  and  will  not  vote  for  a  new  man.  I  would  be 
very  far  from  accepting  the  nomination  if  a  man  more 
likely  to  be  available  shall  be  suggested.  It  seems  to 
me  that  either  you  or  I  would  be  the  most  available  man 
in  the  district,  and  if  you  would  like  to  have  the  nomi- 
nation I  will  most  willingly  further  your  wishes. 

Think  of  this  and  let  me  hear  from  you.  If  you  think 
proper  consult  with  Gov.  Graham  and  any  other  reliable 
persons  and  let  me  hear  from  you. 

Unless  there  shall  be  good  men  suggested  for  this,  I 
think  there  is  much  danger  that  primary  Democracy  will 
run  us  into  the  error  we  committed  in  the  nomination  for 
Govr.  and  Lt.  Gov. 

[P.  S.] — I  don't  believe  Williams,  who  desires  the 
nomination,  would  do  at  all.  Would  it  not  be  well  for 
Orange  to  give  the  ball  a  start  in  the  right  direction.  If 
it  starts  here  it  wall  probably  start  wrong. 

HiT.LSBOEO. 


To  A.  S.  Merrimon. 

Eaeeigh.  Aug.  21 /OS. 
I  have  had  about  enough  respite  from  business  and 
am  casting  around  for  something  to  keep  me  busy.  When 
at  the  bar  I  was  well  known  to  the  principal  mercantile 
houses  in  the  Northern  cities,  doing  business  with  Xorth 
Carolina,  and  had  a  reputation  which  gave  nie  much 
lucrative  business  in  the  collecting  line.  If  I  were  to 
resume  practice  in  the  several  Courts  and  in  the  Supreme 
Court  I  am   persuaded  claims   in   all   parts   of  the  State 


1242  North  Carolina  Historical  Commission. 

Avould  l)e  confided  to  nio.  It  has  oecnrre'd  to  mo  that  you 
and  [  iiiii»]it  form  a  hnv  partnership  here  mntually  bene- 
ficial, my  ]iart  of  the  business  being  chiefly  office  business. 

I  snbmit  the  suggestion  for  your  consideration. 

Mr.  Swepson,  when  I  last  saw  him,  was  meditating 
the  plan  of  getting  up  here  a  Savings  Bank,  on  a  large 
scale  and  offering  me  the  Presidency — And  many  per- 
sons in  this  Congressional  district  are  urging  my  name 
as  the  most  available  candidate  against  Deweese.  I  must 
go  into  something  which  will  yield  ine  some  income  and 
am  considering  of  these  several  projects. 

I  write  simply  to  present  the  project  of  a  law  partner- 
ship with  you  for  your  consideration.  I  now  think  I 
would  prefer  it  to  any  other  plan  of  business  which  has 
occurred  to  me. 

I  think  I  could  be  elected  over  Deweese,  and  doubt 
whether  any  other  name  can  be  used,  so  likely  to  suc- 
ceed— but  several  young  men — -Williams — Argo  and  oth- 
ers seek  the  nomination  and  would  probably  be  active, 
while  I  shall  be  passive — and  would  not  accept  unless 
there  shall  be  unanimity  in  the  call  on  me.  I  would  pre- 
fer the  proposed  partnership  with  you  to  a  seat  in  Con- 
gress, but  feel  that  I  ought  not  to  refuse  the  use  of  my 
name  to  beat  Deweese.  if  our  friends  should  be  unanimous 
in  their  call  on  me — -which  I  deem  improbable.  The 
democrats  will  prefer  an  original  Democrat  over  me,  if 
they  deem  themselves  strong  enough. 

ASTTEVILLE. 


To  Moni(i()mery  Blair. 

Raleigh,  Aug.  2Jfth  1868. 
Political  eoiidi-  I  havc  recently  travelled  in  my  own  conveyance  over 

tions  ill  the  State.  '  '  , .      , . 

several  of  the  Counties  in  this  State  where  radicalism 
has  taken  strongest  hold  and  made  four  public  addresses 
in  some  places — and  from  my  intercourse  with  the  people 
and   every   other   source   of   information,    I   entertain   no 


COKRESPONDENCE    OF    JONATHAN    WoKTH.  1'24' 

Joubt  that  a  large  majority,  will  vote  for  SeyiiKnir  and 
Blair.  But  we  know  that  Holden  and  his  minions  will 
appoint  base  men  as  poll-keepers  at  nearly  every  precinct 
and  his  special  militia  will  if  possible  be  used  to  overawe 
the  timid:  but  in  view  of  the  fact  that  now,  and  in  1865 
when  I  ran  against  Holden  for  Govr.  every  judge  of  our 
Courts — every  Justice  of  the  Peace,  municipal  or  R.  R. 
otEcer,  and  every  other  State  officer,  including  sheriffs  and 
constables,  is  a  radical  and  will  exert  his  influence  to  sus- 
tain the  power  under  which  he  holds  office,  we  contend 
against  immense  odds  and  feel  intense  anxiety.  Through 
the  agencv  of  our  members  of  Congress  and  other  means 
the  State  will  be  flooded  with  Radical  documents,  while 
we  are  so  poor  that  we  can't  supply  counter  documents. 
We  have  the  speaking  talent  which  will  be  exerted  as  far 
as  possible.  We  are  so  impoverished  that  few  men  can 
afford  to  joay  travelling  exj)enses  of  going  from  point  to 
point  to  make  addresses,  while  the  unscrupulous  men 
have  charge  of  our  R.  Rs.  will  give  free  tickets  to  the 
scalawag  orators,  domestic  and  foreign.  If  we  had  money 
we  could  use  it  in  many  legitimate  ways  with  great  effect. 
One  of  these  ways  would  be  sending  campaign  news-papers 
to  many  persons  likely  to  be  influenced  by  correct  in- 
formation. Another  would  be  the  paying  of  the  traveling 
expenses  of  speakers  such  as  Govr.  Vance  and  many  others 
I  could  name.  The  money  cannot  be  raised  among  us. 
The  object  of  this  letter  is  to  ask  you  if  some  money  can- 
not be  raised  for  us  among  our  Northern  friends. 

Our  people  are  becoming  thoroughly  aroused  and  de- 
termined to  shake  off  the  Tyranny  which  oppresses  us — 
and  I  feel  confident  we  shall  carry  the  election  even  with- 
out money — with  such  aid  as  I  hope  may  be  extended  to 
us  from  our  Northern  friends.  I  am  certain  we  can  suc- 
ceed. Any  sum  which  may  be  sent  to  me  for  this  pur- 
pose I  will  undertake  to  see  used  in  the  most  effieitnt  way 
to  accomplish  the  end. 

Washington,  D.  C. 


1244  North  Carolina  Historical  Commission. 

From  ^y.  T.  Dortch  and  G.  V.  Strong  to  W.  E.  Pell. 
GoLDSBORO,  N.  C.  August  24.  1S6S. 
We  enclose  fifty  dollars  partial  advancement  of  Gov. 
Worth's  expenses  to  Washington,  and  the  letter  to  him, 
in  response  to  yonrs  of  Friday  last.  We  regret  that  we 
could  not  send  it  yesterday — hope,  however,  it  is  not  too 
late. 

Yours,  etc., 

W.     T.    DoRTCH. 

Geo.  V.  Strong. 

[P.  S.] — We  can  raise  more  if  you  think  we  should. 
For  the  sake  of  secrecy  we  have  only  approached  a  few 
reliable  citizens. 


From  Citizens  of  Goldsboro. 

GoLDSBORo,  N".  C.  Aug.  2J^th  1868. 
Askin.?  the  The  citizcns  of  this  vicinity  are  under  apprehensions 

removal  of  negro  .  .  c      i        o 

troops.  for  the  peace  and  quiet  of  this  region  of  the  State,  m 

consequence  of  the  concentration  of  the  40th  Reg.  of  U. 
S.  colored  troops  at  this  point,  and  would  be  gratified 
if  you  can  go  to  Washington  and  prevail  on  the  President 
to  cause  their  removal.  We  apprehend  difficulties  in  con- 
sequence of  the  action  of  the  Legislature  and  Gov.  Holden. 
Many  of  the  colored  people  desire  to  vote  with  us,  but 
are  overawed  by  the  colored  troops  and  are  in  fear  of 
their  lives  if  they  cast  their  suffrages  with  us.  We  would 
be  pleased  to  have  any  number  of  white  troops  among  us, 
and  believe  their  presence  would  tend  to  preserve  the 
peace. 

We  make  these  representations  in  behalf  of  the  good 
people  of  this  section  of  the  State,  who  are  for  order  and 
a  free,  unbiased,  election.     You  are  possessed  of  full  in- 


Correspondence  of  Jonathan  Worth.  1245 

formatiou  of  the  condition  of  ali'airs   in  our   State,   and 

consequently  we  deem  it  unnecessary  to  say  more. 
Very  truly  yours, 

Wm.   T.  Dortch 
Stephen  W.  Isler 
L.    W.    Humphrey 
George   V.    Strong. 


From  Williav}  Clarh. 
Economy  Wayne  Co.  [Indiana]  8th  mo.  28/68. 
It  has  bin  so  long  since  I  heard  anything  from  thee, 
there  has  bin  so  many  changes  and  revolutions  in  your 
State  since  I  last  heard  from  thee  which  if  I  remember 
right  (not  having  thy  letter  before)  was  just  before  the 
Election  for  your  Governor  Congress  members,  etc,  which 
resulted  in  quite  a  change  of  your  rulers  (it  may  be  I 
had  better  say  your  office  holders)  as  judging  from  what 
we  hear  the  same  party  that  has  heretofore  held  the  offices 
still  to  a  large  extent  rules.  I  have  had  nothing  from 
any  reliable  source  in  regard  to  political  aifairs  except 
what  your  newspapers  give  which  is  not  always  reliable 
how  does  your  people  feel  in  regard  to  the  nominations 
of  the  two  parties  for  president  how  will  IST.  C.  vote  in 
the  fall  Elections.  W^hat  is  thee  ingaged  in  and  what  is 
thy  prospects  for  the  future  how  is  thy  health  and  that 
of  Aunt  Matitia  and  all  the  children,  we  would  like  ex- 
ceedingly well  to  see  you  all  Louisa  and  I  had  some  little 
notion  of  visiting  you  this  Fall  but  have  about  given  it 
out,  as  part  of  my  object  was  to  look  after  my  old  debts 
there  and  from  what  I  hear  I  could  not  collect  enough  to 
pay  the  expence  of  the  trip  so  that  I  guess  we  shall  have 
to  abandone  it  I  learn  that  some  4  or  5  thousand  have 
availed  themselves  of  the  benefit  of  the  bankrupt  law  in 
IST.  C.  and  amongst  them  many  of  my  old  customers  have 


1246  North  Carolina  Historical  Commission. 

guue  imder.     1  was  glad  to  hear,  Addison  had  bin  able  to 
clear  up  all  his  securities  from  any  liabilities  on  his  ac- 
count.    I  would  be  very  glad  to  hear  of  Addisons  recover- 
ing and  making  money,     how  is  Milton  suckceeding  in 
his  mining  enterprise.     How  is  your  crops  in  X.  C.  the 
crops  in  the  west  are  good  and  with  some  little  prospect 
of  a  foreign  demand  we  are  looking  for  fair  prices,  so 
that  if  it  was  not  for  our  everlasting  extravigance  and 
pride  in  our  Country  would  improve  rapidly  in  that  that 
might  be  useful  but  we  have  abundance  of  that  here  to 
the  neglect  of  those  important  persuits.     Our  family  are 
Avell  except  Bazilla  who  has  bin  a  little  under  the  weather 
for  the  last  day  or  two  we  have  had  a  remarkably  healthy 
summer  until  within  the  last  week  or  two  there  is  con- 
siderable sickness  Jonathan  is  going  night  and  day  the 
last  two  weeks.     Will  you  ever  get  the  Eail  Road  through 
from  Fayetteville  to  High  point  it  is  most  surprising  to 
us  how  the  build  R.   Roads  through  this   Country  the}^ 
get  up  a  railroad  project  here  and  in  two  or  three  years 
it  is  in  operation  there  are  many  miles  of  R.  Road  built 
here  every  year  so  that  there  are  not  many  points  in  the 
state  but  what  are  comparatively  easy  of  access  by  Rail. 
I  suppose  though  there  has  never  bin  in  the  world  a 
rail  Road  that  has  bin  put  through  as  the  one  now  build- 
ing through  to  the  Pacific  that  they  now  think  will  be 
finished  in  1869  I  saw^  today  in  one  of  our  papers  that 
they  had    something  over   2000   hands   imployed    and   in 
additions  to  that  many  kinds  of  machinery  for  the  prosi- 
cution  of  the  work.      We  have  had   an  exceedingly  hot 
summer  more  so  than  any  for  the  last  30  years  so  say  our 
men  who  keep  the  record.     I  felt  it  to  be  more  oppressive 
than  anything  I  had  ever  experienced.     We  had  a  letter 
from    Archibald  Worth   some  time    back  saying    he  ex- 
pected to  take  him  a  southern  wife  some  time  soon  and 
talked  of  paying  us  a  visit  how  is  the  thing  progressing 
we  would  be  glad  to  have  the  visit.     I  sat  down  to  write 
to  thee  without  having  anvthino:  to  write  so  that  it  will 


COKRESPONDENCE    OF    JONATHAN    WoKTII.  1207 

not  be  interesting  of  course  so  I  conclude  and  remain  most 
affectionately  thy  brother. 

[P.   S.] — I  would  like  to  bear  from  thee  at  thy  con- 
venience. 


To ' 

Ealeigh  Sept.  30/68. 

from  the  military  yoke  which  the  N^orth  imposes  on  us. 
The  South  evidently  now  desires  peace  and  fraternity  on 
the  basis  of  the  Constitution  of  the  United  States  and 
the  Xorth  should  learn  wisdom  from  the  parable  of  the 
father  and  his  prodigal  son.  Our  condition  is  deplorable 
enough  and  continually  growing  worse — -to  satisfy  the 
malevolence  of  the  Devil  himself  and  it  is  as  unchristian 
as  it  is  unstatesmanlike  to  continue  the  course  which  will 
inevitably  result  in  intensifying  sectional  hate  and  to  pile 
up  burthens  upon  those  who  thus  seek  to  govern  us. 


To  M' in  linn  Clnrl: 

Ealeigh  Oct.  1  1868. 

•rr  -J5-  ^  -^  -X*  -}r  -^ 

Br.  ]Milton  has  reached  rich  ore  in  the  Hoover  mine 
and  is  in  high  spirits  as  I  learn  from  Sam  Jackson  who 
"was  here  yesterday. 

I  regard  it  as  about  certain  that  ]^orth  Carolina  will  Political  forecasts, 
vote  for  Seymour,  notwithstanding  the  negro  vote  and 
the  immense  influence  of  Holden's  patronage,  who  has 
filled  every  office  in  the  Rail  Roads  and  every  civil  office 
under  the  State  and  the  municipal  corporations,  with 
his  creatures. 


'  First  page  of  letter  illegible. 


1248  XoRTH  Carolina  Historical  Commission. 

If  Crrant  be  elected  there  is  no  hope  of  a  change  in  the 
policy  of  the  government.  The  armv  must  be  kept  np  to 
the  present  strength,  and  the  present  incredible  burthens 
of  taxation  must  be  increased  instead  of  diminished — 
and  the  bitterness  increased,  which  is  always  the  result 
of  military  domination.  Every  body  at  the  South  desires 
peace  and  fraternity  with  the  IS^orth  and  is  ready  to  sub- 
mit to  the  laws  of  the  United  States,  enacted  in  con- 
formity with  the  Constitution,  and  every  body  having  the 
instincts  of  a  man,  detests  a  government,  which,  by  the 
sword  and  the  negro  votes,  elevates  over  us  a  Holden  and 
his  vile  followers.  The  pixsent  policy  of  the  United 
States  is  that  so  long  persisted  in  by  England  towards 
Ireland,  which  has  kept  up,  by  an  inflexible  law  of  human 
nature,  for  many  centuries,  the  undying  hatred  of  every 
Irishman  towards  England  and  has  made  Ireland  a  bur- 
then upon  the  body  politic.  By  the  same  laAv  of  nature, 
Northern  policy  will  make  the  South  as  hostile  to  the 
Xorth  as  is  Ireland  towards  England,  and  you  will  hold 
us  as  a  burthensome  appendage,  an  enormous  burthen 
upon  the  national  treasury,  by  keeping  up  here  at  all 
times,  as  at  present,  a  great  national  army.  The  election 
of  Grant  is  a  continuance  of  present  policy — a  retaining 
of  your  provinces  in  subjection  by  the  sword  at  enormous 
expense  to  the  whole  nation. 

The  policy  of  Seymour  would  hold  the  parts  together 
by  fraternal  concord — ^would  cut  down  the  army  and 
navy — and  enormously  diminish  the  public  taxes.  I  pray 
you  to  apply  the  principles  so  touchingly  taught  in  the 
parable  of  the  father  and  his  prodigal  son,  to  our  national 
condition. 

Economy^  Indiana. 


COEKESPONDENCE    OF    JoNATHxVN    WoKTH.  1249 

To  Lewis  F.  M'ortk. 

Ealeigh^  Oct.  Jf  1868. 

I  thank  you  for  your  letter  of  the  16tli  ult.  covcriug 
your  photograjjh,  which  was  reed  yesterday. 

I  seud  as  requested  two  more  copies  of  my  inaugural 
address  of  Dec,  1866  and  my  address  to  my  constituents 
in  1861  and  circular  to  the  people  in  June  1866.  These 
will  give  you  an  idea  of  my  national  politics.  I  am  not 
a  politician  by  trade.  My  ultra  opposition  to  secession 
made  me  for  a  time  exceedingly  unpopular,  I  abhor  Se- 
cession— still  more  do  I  abhor  Radical  Republicanism — 
both  intended  to  engender  sectional  hate.  The  prominent 
features  of  Republicanism  of  late  are  the  so  called  re- 
construction acts,  in  which  the  conquered  States  are  put, 
by  means  of  the  sword,  under  negro  domination.  At  our 
late  election  here  a  military  satrap  appointed  all  the  poll- 
holders.  All  male  negroes  21  years  old  were  allowed  to 
vote  and  nearly  all  the  white  men  who  were  distinguished 
for  intelligence  and  the  possession  of  any  property  were 
denied  the  right  to  vote — the  result  is  we  now  have  for 
Governor  one  who  had  taught  Secession  all  his  life,  and 
a  set  of  vile  wretches  in  all  the  important  offices  of  the 
State,  who,  for  office,  pretend  to  be  recent  converts  to 
Radicalism.  Our  most  notorious  Secessionists  are  white- 
washed by  Congress  and  then  elected  by  the  negroes  and 
the  ignoble  whites,  who  co-operate  with  them  for  office 
or  through  cowardice.  The  consequence  is  that  all  men 
whose  conduct  is  controlled  by  manly  and  honorable  im- 
pulses are  in  private  stations  and  the  negroes  and 
kindred  spirits  are  our  rulers,  while  the  whole  nation 
is  enormously  taxed  to  keep  up  an  army  and  Freedman's 
Bureau  to  carry  out  the  devilish  party  schemes.  The 
pretence  that  military  power  is  necessary  to  preserve 
order  and  execute  the  laws  is  a  lie. — I  think  the  Devi] 
never  had  a  fitter  set  of  instruments  to  execute  his  will 
than  the  Republicans  of  the  present  Congress:  As  Grant 

Vol.  2—38 


1250  ^NToRTH  Carolina  Historical  Commission. 

endorsed  tluse  measures  he  will  get  no  votes  here  save  from 
negroes  and  white  men  who  have  lost  the  instincts  of  gen- 
tlemen. I  did  not  run  for  re-election  under  this  mockery 
of  the  Constitution,  the  private  station  being  now  the  post 
of  honor  in  this  State. 
Family  niiitters.  J  would  be  glad  to  hear  from  you  when  you  removed 

to  California — are  you  married — ^what  is  your  occupa- 
tion ?  Have  you  brothers  and  sisters  ?  Where  are  they  ? 
I  kept  no  copy  of  the  letter  I  wrote  you  and  do  not  remem- 
ber how  fully  I  went  into  the  Worth  genealogy.  I  am 
the  oldest  of  my  family.  Sister  Ruth  C.  Porter,  widow 
residing  at  Greensboro,  jST.  C.  is  the  next  oldest — J.  ^I. 
Worth  Asheboro,  ]^.  C.  is  third  in  age.  He  is  a  merchant 
doing  a  prosperous  business.  J.  A.  Worth,  Fayetteville, 
X.  C,  was  a  merchant  before  the  war.  Sherman's  army 
burned  up  his  warehouse  and  destroyed  his  means  of  pay- 
ing his  debts.  He  is  very  poor  but  making  a  good  living. 
B.  G.  Worth,  the  fourth  brother,  is  doing  a  heavy  and 
prosperous  business  as  a  merchant  at  188  Pearl  Street 
X.  Y.  I  have  three  sisters  in  Indiana,  Miriam,  wife  of 
Barney  Coffin,  pork  and  beef  merchant,  Indianapolis — 
Evelina,  wife  of  ]^athan  Sennes,  farmer — and  Louisa, 
wife  of  Wm.  Clark,  farmer  and  merchant.  Both  of  these 
live  at  Economy,  Wayne  County,  Indiana.  Their  hus- 
bands are  in  very  independent  condition  and  their  chil- 
dren prosperous  and  promising.  I  lately  paid  a  visit  to 
them.  I  have  but  one  son,  David  G.  Worth,  who  is  doing 
a  very  large  and  prosperous  business  as  a  merchant  at 
Wilmington,  N.  C. — and  five  daughters — the  oldest  a 
widow,  whose  husband  was  a  wealthy  planter  and  died 
before  the  war.  By  the  emancipation  of  her  negroes  she 
and  her  little  ones  are  left  comparatively  poor — three 
other  daughters  are  married  to  lawyers  of  good  standing 
in  the  State  and  the  other  to  a  doctor. 

Your  uncle  David  was  a  tanner  by  trade,  but  long  years 
ago  made  this  occupation  secondary  to  merchandise  and 
farming.     He  lost  a  good  many  negroes  and  other  prop- 


COKEESPONDENCE    OF    JONATHAN    WoETH.  1251 

erty  by  the  war,  but  was  out  of  del)t  and  is  comparatively 
wealthy  and  his  children  well  educated. 

From  this  hasty  sketch  you  may  infer  that  your  kin 
are  generally  in  prosperous  circumstances.  Xot  a  blemish 
spot  upon  any  of  the  race  as  to  integrity  and  honor,  so 
far  as  I  have  ever  heard.  The  most  illustrious  of  the 
race  was  Genl  Worth,  renowned  for  his  achievements  in 
the  Mexican  war. 

California. 


To  A.  C.  Cowles. 

Kaeeigh.  Oct.  7th  18GS. 

You  will  have  understood  that  for  the  past  year  I  have 
not  enjoyed  my  usual  good  health.  I  had  been  accustomed 
before  I  came  here,  to  going  to  Courts,  attending  to  my 
farm  and  other  multifarious  duties  requiring  much  exer- 
cise in  the  open  air  ;  and  I,  and  my  physician,  attribute  my 
ill  health  to  want  of  this  accustomed  exercise,  bad  [TFo/yZ 
illegible^  and  a  staid  sedentary  occupation.  I  resolved  on 
an  extensive  tour  through  the  Xorth  and  West,  and  set  out 
about  the  last  of  Augst.  and  travelled  by  easy  stages  to 
Washington,  Xew  York,  interior  of  Connecticut,  back  to 
IST.  Y.,  up  the  Hudson  to  All)any,  then  by  Rochester,  Niag- 
ara, Troy,  Buffalo  and  Cleveland  to  Indianapolis;  and 
home  by  way  of  Cleveland,  O.,  Wheeling,  W.  Ya.  and  Bal- 
timore. I  was  out  about  a  month  and  for  the  past  two 
weeks  have  been  perfectly  well.  I  refer  to  this  to  explain 
my  delay  in  answering  your  kind  letter  of  1 8th  Aug. 

The  trip,  too,  not  only  restored  my  health  but  afforded 
me  constant  pleasure  with  no  alloy  save  the  depletion  of  a 
purse  not  well  filled  and  continually  sinking  without  any 
accretion. 

I  presume  the  day  of  your  proposed  mass  meeting  in 
Yadkin  has  passed,  and  consequently  that  T  shall  not  have 
the  opportunity  of  being  present. 


1252  jSTorth  Carolina  Historical  Commission. 

In  jSTorth  Carolina  are  settled  all  my  children.  Here 
I  wish  to  live  out  my  days — but  under  the  vile  govern- 
ment now  forced  on  us  in  which  villainy  and  ignorance 
are  ramjjant,  and  the  highest  judicial  functionaries  are 
sunk  into  semblance  of  manhood  in  ignoble  subserviency  to 
partizanship  and  ambition  to  retain  their  offices,  I  see' 
no  hope  for  the  future,  if  healthy  basis  cannot  be  restored 
to  public  sentiment.  I  am  ready  to  do  what  I  can  do  to 
avoid  the  necessity  of  flying  from  my  native  State  in  my 
old  age.  Present  financial  plans,  besides  the  overthrow 
of  integrity,  must  soon  destroy  the  property  holder  and 
result  in  anarchy  and  further  Revolution.  I  shall  per- 
severe, while  I  can  see  any  hope  in  resisting  the  demorali- 
zation and  the  ruin  it  must  produce,  and  to  this  end  shall 
attend  public  meetings  where  I  may  hope  to  be  useful. 

I  am  invited  to  a  mass  meeting  in  Wilkesboro  on  the 
27tli  inst.  and  will  be  present  if  possible. 

At  what  price  can  you  furnish  me  on  R.  R.  a  bbl.  of 
good  whiskey  or  brandy.  A  good  article  of  apple  brandy 
suits  me  as  well  as  whiskey.  A  pleasant  prescription  of 
my  physician  is  a  continuance  of  my  old  habit  of  using 
moderately  whiskey  or  brandy  of  N".  C.  manufacture. 
This  indulgence,  at  Raleigh  prices,  draws  too  heavily  on 
a  lean  purse. 

My  hopes  of  defeating  Radicalism  two  wrecks  ago  were 
rather  depressed.  My  hopes  are  now  bouyant  as  to  Na- 
tional success  and  still  more  so  as  to   State  success. 

Hamptonville. 


To  C.  B.  Dibble. 

Raleigh  Nov.  11  1S6S. 
*  *  4fr  *  *  *  * 

I  am  in  despair  for  my  native  State.  I  regard  the  elec- 
tion of  Grant  as  a  national  endorsement  of  the  Congres- 
sional plan  of  re-construction,  which  is  confessedly  based 


COKBESPONDENCE    OF    JONATHAN    WoRTH.  1223 

on  the  ground  that  we  are  to  be  treated  as  without  the 
pale  of  constitutional  protection  and  to  be  treated  as  con- 
quered provinces.  With  ignorance  made  the  basis  of  leg- 
islation, instead  of  intelligence,  I  have  no  ground  of  hoj)e 
*  in  the  early  future. 
]SrEW  YoEK  City. 


To  A.  L.  McLean. 

Ealeigh.  Nov.  12th  1868. 
I  have  carefully  considered  yr. 'proposition  submitted  to 
your  County  Courts  providing  a  plan  for  paying  your 
County  debt.  If  they  intend  to  make  provision  for  paying 
the  debt,  the  plan  proposed  is  as  favorable  to  the  County 
as  any  citizen  could  expect  and  I  can  conceive  of  no  rea- 
son for  delay  in  carrying  it  out.  Indejinite  postyonement 
is  equivalent  to  repudiation.  I  beg  you  to  urge  action.  I 
will  fund  as  proposed  but  desire  to  know  soon  what  I  am 
to  depend  upon. 

[P.    S.]    The  sinking  fund   should  be  invested  in   the 
purchase  of  yr  County  bonds  at  their  market  value. 
Fayetteville. 


From  W.  F.  Leah. 

Rockingham  Dec.  9/68. 

I  am  about  collecting  a  '^Gallery"  or  "Group"  of  my  Asking  for 
most  distinguished  contemporaries,  (of  such  men  as  Ruf-  "  "^"^ 
fin,  Manly,  Browme,  Edwards,  Graham,  and  others)  for 
placing  in  a  frame  of  men  who  have  the  moral  courage  '"to 
do  right,  regardless  of  any  outward  pressure'',  yes  of  such 
men  as  "had  rather  be  right  (as  H.  Clay  once  said,) 
"than  to  be  President". 

What   the  country   and  even  the  world  now  wants   is 
"moral  courage"  the  resolution  to  be  and  do  the  right,  re- 


I 


1254  XoRTii  Carolina  Historical  Commission. 


gardless  of  consequences,  such  men  we  once  bad  and  a  few 
still  remain,  but  tbey  will  sbortly  bave  passed  "tbat 
Bourne  from  Avbicb  no  Traveller  bas  yet  ever  returned". 
I  should  be  pleased  to  bave  the  likeness  of  my  old 
Quaker  friend,  and  ask  you,  to  send  me  by  letter  your 
Photograph. 


From  ir.  //.  Bagleij. 

Raleigh,  Deer.  IJ^tJi,  1868. 

We  received  your  letter  of  the  10th,  night  before  last 
as,  also,  one  from  sister,  and  were  glad  to  bear  you  were, 
at  least,  as  well  as  when  you  left,  and  that  Mrs.  Worth, 
sister  and  children  were  all  well.  We  regTct  your  busi- 
ness detained  you  so  long,  and  trust  you  will  soon  dispose 
of  it  to  your  entire  satisfaction. 

The  creditors  of  the  Bank  of  IST.  C.  bave  postponed  the 
appointment  of  an  Assignee  until  next  Thursday.  I  bave 
no  further  indications  as  to  the  person  likely  to  be  se- 
lected, save  that  Swepson  informed  me,  on  last  Friday, 
that  the  delay  was  favorable  to  you — as  it  was  caused  by 
failure  to  select  one  of  the  rival  factions  among  the  credi- 
tors and  that  he  thought  each  party  would  have  to  agTce 
to  a  compromise,  and  you  Avere  most  likely  to  suit  all  the 
i:)arties,  so,  if  you  are  selected,  you  will  not  be  the  choice 
of  either  and,  hence,  will  he  independent  of  all.  I  have 
no  doubt  in  my  own  mind,  if  the  friends  of  Mr.  Mordecai 
do  not  refuse  to  sustain  you,  you  will  be  chosen,  as,  I  am 
confident,  you  are  Swepson's  choice  as  a  compromise. 

Tell  Sister  I  will  attend  to  the  "Sentinel"  matter  for 
her  today. 

Sister  Elvira  will  reach  here  Thursday,  as,  I  believe,  I 
wrote  you  before.  She  says,  in  her  letter,  she  will  be 
unable  to  go  to  Wilmington  and  Sister's,  as  she  had  orig- 
inally intended.  So,  if  Sister  wishes  to  see  her,  she  bad 
better  come  home  with  you. 


CoKKESPOXDE]NrCE    OF    JoA'ATlIAX    AVoiiTJI.  1255 

Yonr  hogs  are  pretty  fat  and  in  a  gxxxl  killing  condition 
Mr.  Biiffaloe  thinks,  and  so  I  think  too.  Your  com  has 
given  out  and  I  had  to  purchase  some  this  ])ast  week,  at 
80  cts.  per  bushel.  They  eat  nearly  half  a  bushel  a  day, 
and,  I  am  sure,  their  increased  weight  wull  not  pay  for  the 
corn  they  will  hereafter  consume  at  that  price.  If  you 
remain  at  Sister's  longer  than  this  week,  as  Sister  inti- 
mates in  her  letter,  you  will  hardly  finish  the  dam  in  that 
time,  it  is,  perhaps,  w'orthy  of  consideration  whether  you 
had  not  better  authorize  us  to  kill  them.  Addie  has  some 
misgiving's,  however,  as  to  her  competency  to  attend  to 
trying  the  lard,  etc.  You  must  not  attribute  this  sugges- 
tion to  any  peculiar  desire  on  our  part  for  spare  bones  or 
any  special  yearning  after  sausage  meat — as  Addie  and 
myself  have  been  contenting  ourselves  with  oysters,  and 
wishing,  at  the  same  time  that  you  had  a  gallon  or  two  at 
Sisters. 

Your  old  hen  in  the  stable,  had  fixed-up  to  set — having 
15  eggs — and  we  had  to  take  them  out  to  prevent  her. 
They  will  be  kept  separate  from  other  eggs  until  your  re- 
turn. The  other  hen  had  half  a  dozen  eggs  under  her, 
and,  this  morning,  I  found  them  all  frozen  and  five  of 
them  bursted.  Tell  Mrs.  Worth  she  has  two  hens  in  the 
(:gg  business,  and  we  hope  to  have  a  dozen  or  two  for  her 
when  she  returns.  Tell  her  I  have  spent  two  whole  Sun- 
days trying  to  find  her  guinea  chicken's  nest,  but  to  no 
purpose. 

I  believe  I  have  told  you  everything  of  a  domestic  na- 
ture w^orth  relating — except  the  fact  that  Zilpha  has  drawn 
two  overcoats  from  the  Bureau.     Addie  sends  love  to  all. 


1256 


XoiJTii  Carolixa  IIistokical  Commission. 


Plans  for  removal 
to  the  Northwest. 


To  J.  M.  ]Vorlh.' 

Ealeigii  Dec.  25  18G8. 
*  *  *  -s  4f  *  * 

Consequently  in  effecting  sale  I  hoped  to  promote  the 
secondary  interests  of  yourself,  Makepeace  and  my  other 
Randolph  friends,  and  enabling  myself  to  buy  Minnesota 
or  California  lands  or  business  which  I  might  regard  as 
more  profitable,  or  at  all  events  more  agreeable.  I  continu- 
ally think  it  is  better  for  all  of  us  to  sell  out  at  any  sacri- 
fice, and  move  to  Minesota  or  California  Avhere  the  States 
are  out  of  debt  and  common  schools  and  universities  paid 
for  out  of  the  ISTational  Treasury,  and  R.  R.s  built  every 
vrhere  out  of  the  public  lands.  Here,  it  seems  to  me,  negro 
drones  and  their  baser  allies,  will  eat  out  all  the  honey  in 
the  hive.    I  see  no  hopes  for  an  honest  man. 

I  am  out  of  money  or  employment,  old,  and  in  bad 
health,  and  I  view  things  through  a  distorted  eye. 


Information  as  to 
North  Carolina. 


To  H.  G.  Leisering. 

Raleigh  Jan.  7th  1869. 

Ill  health  and  other  engagements  have  prevented  a 
prompt  reply  to  yours  of  the  1st  inst. 

I  think  I  have  such  thorough  knowledge  of  the  subjects 
of  your  inquiries  that  I  can  answer  without  any  fear  of 
leaving  your  or  your  friends  into  error. 

First  you  ask  what  is  the  character  of  the  people  resi- 
dent in  the  Counties  of  Caldwell,  Burke,  McDonald, 
Yancy,  "Wilkes,  Watauga  and  Ashe,  their  habits,  condition, 
and  feeling  toward  Xorthern  people  generally. 

The  people  of  these  Counties,  as  of  all  the  Westerp 
Counties  of  the  State,  are  quiet,  law-abiding  agricul- 
turalists and  have  not  \_Word  illegihle^  no  repugnance  to 


1  The  first  paj^e  of  the  letter  is  illegible. 


Correspondence  of  Jonathan  Wokth.  1257 

a  Xortliern  man  on  account  of  the  jjlace  of  his  nativiiy, 
but  cordially  receive  all  emmigrants  who  come  here  to  co- 
operate with  us  in  building  up  our  shattered  fortunes — 
but  a  large  portion  of  them  detest  butterfly  generals  and 
others  who  come  here  to  get  the  offices,  our  best  men  be- 
ing disqualified  for  office  by  teste  oaths,  the  Howard 
amendment,  etc.  This  class  of  immigrants  all  good  men 
detest.  The  kindest  feeling  exists  towards  all  Northern 
men,  who  are  honest  men  settling  here  to  do  business  and 
not  for  j)olitical  objects. 

Second.  What  is  the  proportion  of  colored  and  white 
persons  in  the  counties  named,  and  how  do  they  mingle 
socially  ? 

The  large  preponderance  of  population  in  these  Coun- 
ties is  white.  You  can  ascertain  the  proportion  by  the 
last  census  more  accurately  than  from  any  other  source. 
The  better  class  of  whites  in  these  Counties,  or  elsewhere, 
do  not  recognize  negroes  as  socially  their  equals,  but  the 
rights  of  property  and  personal  protection  are  entirely  se- 
cure and  political  franchises  to  which  they  have  become 
entitled  under  the  re-construction  laws,  are  every  where 
respected,  however  distasteful  to  many  of  our  people. 

Third.  Are  the  white  and  colored  people  disposed 
to  labor  where  work  is  offered  them  and  are  they  equally 
disposed  to  work  with  and  for  parties  from  the  Xorth 
and  South  ? 

I  answer  distinctly — yes.  All  laboring  for  wages  here, 
white  or  black,  are  pom-  and  improvident.  Any  amount 
of  labor  can  be  had  of  either  color,  by  men  who  pay 
promptly  by  the  weel-  or  by  the  day  and  at  very  low 
wages. 

I  consider  your  fourth  inquiry  substantially  answered. 

The  idea  that  any  prejudice  exists  here,  growing  out  of 
the  late  conflict,  which  would  operate  to  the  prejudice  of 
N'orthern  capitalists,  who  may  come  here  or  invest  their 
means  for  legitimate  business  purposes  is  without  color  of 
foundation.     Of  course  vaporing  men,  unnecessarily    re- 


1258  XoKTii  Carolina  Historical  Commission. 

preaching  us  with  the  hito  war  and  abusing  our  represen- 
tative men,  Avouhl  act  unwisely  and  to  some  extent  become 
uni)oi)uUir  in  many  localities,  but  even  they  would  be  per- 
sonally safe,  unless  outrageously  rude.  No  exception  is 
taken  against  a  Northern  man  who  may  respectfully  main- 
tain that  the  North  was  right  and  the  South  wrong — but 
a  discreet  man  would  maintain  his  position  respectfully 
and  temperately. 

Our  people  universally  desire  such  immigrants  as  you 
describe  and  they  would  be  received  not  only  courteously 
— but  cordially. 

Philadelphia,  Pa. 


To  William  A.  Graltam. 

Raleigh.  Jan.  0th  IS 09. 

Frank  Wheeler,  a  son  of  Jesse  "Wheeler,  the  father 
well  and  favorably  known  to  you  I  presume,  desires  to  be 
appointed  assessor  of  Int.  Rev.  in  the  Greensboro  District 
to  fill  vacancy  soon  to  occur  by  the  resignation  of  his 
father.  I  know  him  well  and  have  recommended  his  ap- 
pointment to  Prest.  Johnson,  as  a  young  man  well  quali- 
fied— of  exemplary  moral  character  and  more  acceptable 
to  the  respectable  people  of  this  district  than  any  person 
I  know  who  can  take  the  teste  oath  and  be  confirmed  by 
the  Senate.  He  belongs  to  a  class  of  men  in  Guilford  who 
voted  for  Grant,  but  who  detest  Holden,  Deweese,  Tour- 
gee  &  Co.  and  who  do  not  approve  of  the  reconstruction 
measures.  His  competitor,  as  I  understand,  hopes  to  be 
preferred  on  the  ground  of  superior  loyalty,  llr.  Wheeler 
thinks  anything  you  can  say  for  him,  based  on  my  rec- 
omendation  or  other  source  of  information  (he  says  you 
do  not  personally  know  him)  would  be  likely  to  benefit 
him. 

If  you  think  proper  to  say  anything,  and  I  suppose 
any  Guilford  gentleman  will  confirm  my  representation,  I 
will  forward  what  you  mav  say  to  him. 


Correspondence  of  Jonathan  Worth.  1259 

To  George  IV.  Rose. 

Raleigh,  X.  C.  Jan.  l-i  ISlJ'J. 
In  rep]}'  to  your  inquiries  I  regret  to  say  that  I  cannot 
with  proper  candor  advise  you  to  come  to  this  State  in 
the  hope  of  bettering  your  condition  by  the  employment 
indicated.  The  intelligent  portion  of  this  State  are  barred 
by  the  legislation  of  Congress,  and  the  powers  of  mak- 
ing laws,  imposing  taxes,  etc.  placed  in  the  hands  of  the 
negroes,  carpet  baggers  and  their  baser  allies — and  con- 
sequently the  better  classes  are  depressed  and  all  enter- 
prise paralysed.  Ignorance  and  corruption  are  the 
striking  characteristics  of  our  men  in  authority.  I  would 
like  to  see  worthy  immigrants  settle  here,  but  I  cannot 
honestly  advise  a  man  doing  well  in  X.  J.  to  come  here. 
I  am  no  Secessionist — never  was — just  the  reverse. 


To  William  Claris. 

EaleigH;,  Jan  I4  1S60. 

T  have  not  changed  my  political  views.  The  election  Political  opinions, 
of  Grant  is  an  endorsement  of  the  Reconstruction  meas- 
ures. They  have  forced  upon  the  South  universal  negro 
suffrage  and  the  disfranchisement  of  the  most  intelligent 
and  virtuous  of  our  people — and  filled  our  Legislative 
halls  and  all  other  offices  with  negroes,  carpet-baggers  and 
baser  native  white  men,  who  have  allied  themselves  with 
the  Radicals  for  a  share  of  the  spoils.  These  measures 
produce  the  very  opposite  of  fraternity  between  the  Xorth 
and  South.  The  Xorth,  with  the  bayonet,  has  forced  the 
South,  to  incorporate  these  iniquitious  provisions  in  our 
Constitutions,  which  cannot  be  altered  without  the  con- 
currence of  tAVO-tliirds  of  the  voters.  All  the  negroes  and 
only  the  more  baser  and  ignorant  of  the  whites  being  al- 
lowed to  vote  in  most  of  these  States — and  in  all  of  them 


]2G0  XoRTii  Cakolix^a  Historical  Commission. 

the  best  aud  most  capable  men  by  the  Howard  amendment 
and  iron-clad  oath,  excluded  from  office  State  or  National, 
with  a  standing  bribe  offered  ns  by  Congress,  to  get  the 
disabilities  for  holding  office  removed  by  turning  Eadical. 
The  election  of  Grant,  by  a  majority  of  the  people  of  the 
U.  S.,  including  the  negToes  and  excluding  the  disfran- 
chised whites,  but  by  a  minority  of  the  white  men  of  the 
U.  S.,  is  an  approval  by  all  who  voted  for  him  of  those 
violations  of  vital  principles  of  Republicanism  and  the 
Constitution  of  the  United  States.  The  patriotism  which 
once  animated  the  jDeople  is  fully  merged  in  greed. 
Money  has  become  the  God  of  this  country,  and  men, 
othei'wdse  good  men,  are  almost  compelled  to  worship  at 
her  shrine.  The  evidence  of  this  is  found  in  the  facility 
by  which  the  jSTational  Legislature  and  all  the  State  Legis- 
latures are  bribed  by  money  or  controlled  by  corrupt  rings. 
I  regard  Andrew  Johnson  as  the  Cato  of  the  II.  S. 

I  do  not  concur  in  your  view^s  that  the  election  of  Grant 
is  not  to  be  regarded  as  sectional.  The  reason  you  assigTi 
is  that  many  of  the  Southern  and  Southwestern  States 
voted  for  him.  He  did  not  receive  a  majority  of  the  wdiite 
vote  in  one  of  them,  notwithstanding  the  iniquitous  dis- 
franchisement of  a  vast  number  of  white  men — and  you 
know  the  negro  vote  was  controlled  by  l^orthern  organs 
and  influence.  A  vast  majority  of  the  whites  voted  against 
him,  scarcely  a  respectable  white  man  voting  for  him. 
who  did  not  expect  office  as  his  reward.  Such  as  Pearson, 
Reade  and  many  others  I  could  name. 

Grant  is  not  elected  by  a  majority  of  the  Constitutional 
voters  of  the  U.  S.  Three  States  were  not  allowed  to 
vote  at  all  and  the  show  of  an  election  in  the  other  States 
of  the  South  was  a  mere  mockery  of  an  election. 

I  expect  as  we  all  do,  to  submit  to  aud  obey  the  ^^owers 
that  be — but  I  cannot  expect  Grant  to  repudiate  any  of 
the  Reconstruction  series,  save  such  of  them  as  were  en- 
acted to  restrain  the  President  from  executing  his  Con- 
stitutional functions. 


Correspondence  of  Jonathan  Worth.  12G1 

Unfettered  by  party,  I  think  Cirant  \V(inld  nuike  a  good 
President,  but  lie  cannot  honestly  break  the  fetters  with 
which  he  sought  to  be  bound  to  the  most  wicked  party 
which  has  ever  controlled  this  nation. 

What  is  the  repentance  which  you  exact  of  us  as  a  con- 
dition of  forgiveness  ?  Is  it  that  we  repent  our  resistance 
to  the  U.  S.  ?  iSTo — the  only  evidence  of  repentance  you 
exact  is  to  become  a  Eadical.  Witness  Holden,  Rodman, 
and  thousands  who  were  ultra  Secessionists.  Any  body 
can  get  forgiveness  who  will  declare  for  and  vote  the  Radi- 
cal ticket.  This  demand  of  repentance  is  in  exact  accord- 
ance with  your  entire  legislation.  I  and  Graham  and  a 
large  majority  of  the  whole  population  of  IST.  C.  resisted 
Secession  until  the  ISTation  could  not  protect  us.  Any  of 
us  can  be  pardoned  if  we  will  declare  ourselves  Radicals, 
the  only  evidence  of  repentance  you  will  accept.  I  neither 
ask  nor  will  accept  forgiveness  on  these  degrading  bases. 

Since  the  old  Whig  party  went  under,  there  has  been 
no  party  to  which  an  honest,  good  man  could  cordially  at- 
tach himself.  W^e  have  been  forced  upon  a  choice  between 
evils.  We  have  honestly  differed  as  to  what  was  the  lesser 
one.  I  hope  you  were  right — but  in  view  of  the  alliance 
between  Grant  and  the  Reconstruction  policy  which  I  re- 
gard as  entirely  subversive  of  the  Constitution  of  the  U. 
S. ;  highly  detrimental  to  the  whole  Union  and  ruinous 
to  the  South,  I  look  upon  Grant's  election  as  a  great  ca- 
lamity. 

I  did  not  intend  to  allude  to  ISTational  politics  until 
I  took  up  yours  of  the  13  TsTov.  to  which  this  is  intended  as 
a  reply.  I  lately  got  into  correspondence  with  Lewis  VJ. 
Worth,  in  California,  He  is  a  son  of  my  cousin  Zeno 
Worth.  In  a  late  letter  from  him,  while  he  does  not  inti- 
mate his  political  status,  he  regards  the  politicians  of  the 
U.  S.,  so  corrupt,  that  the  moon  every  time  she  passes  over 
us,  would  hold  her  nose.  I  regard  the  idea  as  a  good 
one,  and  believing  there  is  now  no  chance  to  abate  the  nui- 
sance, the  best  thing  we  can  do  is  to  hold  one's  nose  and 


1262  NoKTH  Carolina  Historical  Commission. 

say  iiothiiiii' — ar.d  I  think  I  shall  in  fnture,  as  I  have  done 
for  sometime  past,  keep  silence  on  the  subject. 

If  my  health  become  sound,  I  think  I  shall  try  to  con- 
vert my  i^roperty  into  money,  at  what  it  will  bring,  and  go 
into  Minnesota  or  some  other  place  in  the  ISTorthwest,  and 
buy  a  ranch  and  try  to  colonise  my  children  around  me 
I  regard  it  as  certain  that  there  is  no  ground  for  hope 
of  ria'ht  here  for  some  generations.  If  I  do  this,  it  will 
be  for  my  children.  I  am  too  old  to  move  for  my  o%vn  ac- 
count, and  would  much  prefer  going  South  than  jSTorth, 
but  for  the  negro. 

EcoxoMY^  Indiana. 


To  Fred  Wohroth. 

Raleigh.  Jan.  IJ/.  18G9. 

Owing  to  my  very  bad  health,  the  fact  that  I  had  been 
turned  out  of  office  under  the  reconstruction  laws,  and 
therefore  had  no  control  over  the  documents  you  desire, 
and  other  causes  yours  of  Oct.  15  was  laid  aside  and  over- 
looked until  to-day. 

I  send  it  to  Gov.  Ilolden,  who,  I  hope,  will  comply  with 
your  request. 

I  inclose  descriptions  of  a  tract  of  land  in  w^hich  I  am 
chief  owner,  large  enough  for  a  little  colony — with  at 
least  750  acres  of  it  of  remarkable  fertility — 150  acres 
of  it  cleared  and  capable  of  producing  immediate  crops  of 
cotton  or  corn — And  the  rest  covered  with  valuable  timber 
and  within  seven  miles  of  flat  navigation. 

The  purchase  money  could  be  paid  in  installments. 

[P.  S.]  All  the  representations  you  see  that  loyal  per- 
sons and  foreigners  are  not  well  received  here  are  lies  dis- 
seminated with  partizan  designs.  All  immigrants  who 
come  here  with  the  honest  purpose  of  making  a  living 
by  honest  pursuit  of  their  vocations  are  cordially  received. 


I 


Correspondence  of  Jonathan  Worth.  1263 

We  have  no  affection  for  the  vile  carpet  baggers  who  come 
here  to  rnle  over  ns  by  fa^'or  of  the  poor  deluded  negroes 
and  the  vile  natives  who  co-operate  with  them  for  selfish 
ends : — and  even  these  carpet  baggers  are  not  molested. 
]^EW^  York  City. 


To  B.  G.  Worth. 

Kaleigh.  Jan.  15  IS  GO. 
This  State  is  being  driven  into  bankruptcy  and  Repudi-  i>angenms  ten- 

*^  X      ./  1  dency  of  state 

ation  in  a  gallop.     Untold  milions  of  our  bonds,  payable  legistature. 
in  gold,   are  being  put  in  market  and  sold  at  a  price  in 
currency  equivalent  to  less  than  45  cents  on  the  dollar  in 
coin. 

The  most  shameless  corruption  and  wanton  extrava- 
gance mark  all  the  legislative  and  executive  proceedings. 
The  ring,  speculating  in  State  bonds,  may  carry  through 
a  revenue  bill  to  meet  the  interest  on  the  State  debt,  so 
as  to  raise  the  jirice  of  the  these  bonds  and  sell  out  at  a 
speculation,  but  that  revenue  bill  must  quite  more  than 
quadrujjle  the  expenses  we  have  paid  since  the  war.  There 
is  no  money  in  the  Treasury  for  any  purpose.  $325,000 
due  for  coupons  payable  1  Jan.  int.  About  a  like  sura 
will  fall  due  on  1  Apl.  to  which  must  be  added  the  ordi- 
nary expenses  of  State  government  and  building  of  peni- 
tentiary, etc.  If  this  revenue  bill  must  raise  $1,000,000. 
to  be  collected  and  paid  in  the  Spring;  and  to  meet  in- 
terest falling  due  in  July  and  1st  Jan  1870,  at  least  an- 
other million  must  be  collected  and  paid  in  next  Fall,  or 
the  purj)oses  of  the  bond  ring  will  fail  and  the  wheels  of 
the  State  machinery  stop.  The  heaviest  amount  raised  by 
any  Rev  bill  since  the  war  is  about  $400,000.  The  ring 
and  the  interests  of  officials  in  getting  their  salaries  will 
probably  pass  a  bill  imposing  this  quintuple  tax:  l)iit  if 
it  pass,  the  next  Legislature  Avill  be  composed  of  a  ma- 
jority in  favor  of  out  and  out  repudiation — but  the  enor- 


1264  XoKTii  Caeolixa  Historical  Commission. 

moiis  expenditures  on  the  R.  Rs.  etc  produce  some  enter- 
prise in  the  localities  where  the  expenditures  are  made. 
The  State's  bonds  to  the  amount  of  $1,200,000.  have  been 
loaned  to  the  Chatham  R.  R.  Co.  Their  road  was  graded 
to  or  near  Haw  River  during  the  [war  ?]  This  State  aid 
has  enabled  the  Co.  to  resume  operations.  Thev  are  rapidly 
laying  down  iron  and  will  speedily  complete  the  Road 
to  Egypt.  This  will  insure  the  value  of  your  land  on 
Deep  River,  if  the  fear  of  taxation  should  not  paralyse 
agricultural  enterprise  here.  I  do  not  doubt  but  the  land 
may  be  sold  at  a  fair  price  now  or  shortly  and  I  believe 
J.  J.  Jackson  is  the  best  agent  that  can  be  found  here 
to  effect  a  sale.  I  have  gone  into  this  explanation  to  en- 
able you  to  decide  what  is  best  for  your  interests.  If  you 
decide  to  sell,  I  think  you  had  better  fix  on  a  minimum 
price — and  make  him  a  power  of  xitto.  to  sell,  looking  for 
his  compensation  to  what  he  may  get  above  your  mini- 
mum. He  tells  me  he  is  now  authorised  by  you  to  sell 
so  much  of  your  land  as  lies  South  of  the  road  running 
between  Lockville  and  Egypt,  which  he  says  is  very  poor 
land,  giving  no  external  evidence  of  value  for  mining.  As 
agent  for  the  owners  of  the  Klegg  Copper  mine,  he  has  ef- 
.  fected  a  sale,  by  which  he  makes  some  $1000.  for  him- 
self and  he  is  negotiating  a  sale  of  his  copper  mine,  which 
he  reserved  when  he  sold  to  you.  He  has  made  a  condi- 
tional contract  of  sale,  which  he  is  confident  will  be  made 
absolute,  at  some  $6,000.  for  his  interest,  and  embraces 
in  this  conditional  contract  for  your  benefit,  100  acres 
of  your  land  South  of  said  road,  at  $10.00  per  acre. 

My  health  has  been  poor  for  the  past  six  weeks — not  so 
bad  as  it  was  when  I  was  with  you,  but  all  the  time  suf- 
fering in  the  old  way.  Eor  the  past  two  weeks,  I  have 
staid  at  home — dieted— and  followed  Jonathan  Clark's 
prescription  and  have  improved  until  I  am  nearly  well 
— ^but  you  will  see  in  my  tremulous  writing  that  I  am  not 
perfectly  restored. 

Roxana's  affairs  had  become  deplorable,  by  reason  of 


CoUKESPOXDEJv^CE    OF    JOXATIIAX    WoiiTH.  1265 

a  complete  failure  of  crop  of  1S67.  She  was  out  of  corn 
by  1  Jan.  1868  and  had  to  buy  all  last  year.  Her  mill 
dam  bad  broken  twice  and  she  bad  incurred  beavy  ex- 
penses in  two  abortive  efforts  to  repair  it.  Many  of  her 
bogs  and  cattle  bad  been  stolen,  etc.  Sbe  was  getting 
dangerously  in  debt.  I  staid  a  month  with  her  and  per- 
sonally supervised  the  business  operations  in  repairing  her 
dam.  It  gives  promises  of  being  effectual  and  I  have 
made  such  changes  in  her  operations  as  will  enable  her  to 
pay  her  debts  at  an  early  day.  It  was  terrible  effort  for 
me.  My  mental  condition  and  personal  anxiety  were  in- 
jurious to  me  in  my  feeble  condition. 

******* 

I  have  no  income  save  what  comes  from  my  factory  and 
boat  stock  and  a  little  money  bearing  interest.  My  taxes 
for  State,  County,  corporate  and  IlTational  and  support  of 
my  family  exceed  this  income.  This  is  annoying.  I  see 
no  means  of  avoiding  this  state  of  things  and  am  patiently 
w^aiting  in  the  hope  of  getting  well  and  for  something  to 
"turn  up". 

There  is  now  a  strong  probability  that  Major  Bagley, 
who  has  been  on  his  oars  for  six  months,  will  be  elected 
Clerk  of  the  Supreme  Court.  The  office  is  worth  at  least 
$3,000  a  year.  He  is  admirably  fitted  to  fill  it,  and  would 
be  likely  to  retain  it  permanently. 


To  Lewis  Hanes. 

Raleigh  Jan.  17  1869. 
Some  three  years  ago  I  advanced,  through  our  friend 
Dr.  Jones,  a  small  sum  to  aid  you  in  getting  under  way 
with  your  newspaper.  My  understanding  was  that  it  was 
a  loan  to  you  and  that  you  were  to  give  me  your  note.  I 
have  not  received  your  note  and  kept  no  memorandum,  and 
do  not  remember  the  amount  or  date  of  the  transaction  or 

Vol.  2—39 


1266  jSTokth  Cakolina  Historical  Commission. 

M'hetbei"  it  was  to  bear  interest  or  not  and  do  not  know 
whether  I  ought  to  remit  to  you  for  your  paper  since  I 
ceased  to  he  Governor  or  not.  The  matter  will  he  ad- 
justed according  to  your  recollection  and  understanding — 
and  you  will  oblige  me  by  letting  me  know  how  the  matter 
is.  Since  I  retired  from  office,  I  have  gone  into  no  busi- 
ness and  have  no  income  save  from  a  few  investments 
yielding  less  than  my  unavoidable  expenses.  If  it  was 
regarded  by  you  as  a  loan  and  it  be  inconvenient  to  you 
to  pay,  you  must  not  take  this  as  dun,  but  only  as  desiring 
you  to  send  me  your  note.  I  desire  to  have  it  adjusted  ac- 
cording to  the  understanding  at  the  time  which  you  and 
Dr.  Jones  will  remember  and  which  will  be  satisfactory 
to  ine. 

You  will  have  observed  that  the  Sentinel  is  publishing 
some  of  my  correspondence  touching  the  military  admini- 
strations of  Sickles  and  Canby.  I  notice  that  the  Wil- 
mington Journal  is  re-publishing  some  of  them  with  the 
remark  that  "as  a  matter  of  history  alone  these  letters 
are  most  valuable.  As  a  matter  of  justice  to  Gov.  Worth 
these  letters  should  be  published".  Should  you  take  this 
view  of  the  subject,  I  point  out  some  important  errors  of 
the  Sentinel  press. 

In  the  letter  published  in  the  Sentinel  of  the  14th  Jan., 
speaking  of  statements  made  to  Canby  by  Tourgee  and 
others  the  printed  copy  has  it  "copies  of  which  were  sent 
to  me."  It  should  be  "'copies  of  Mdiich  were  not  sent  to 
me".  In  the  letter  published  on  the  15  Jan.  speaking  of 
the  victim  of  the  rape  and  her  daughter  who  witnessed  it, 
I  say  neither  of  them  was  summoned  or  examined  and  at 
this  ''homes  in  the  county — County  is  printed  "Country." 
— And  further  on  I  quote  from  the  report  of  the  Court  of 
Inquiry  the  words  "The  woman's  husband  was  engaged  in 
overseeing  slaves."  They  have  substituted  the  words  "split- 
ting staves"  for  "overseeing  slaves". 

In  my  letter  published  in  the  Sentinel  of  the  16  Jan. 
touchina;  Tourgee,  no  error  occurs. 


Correspondence  of  Jonathan  Worth.  1267 

These  letters  are  not  published  at  mj  request  or  upon 
my  suggestion- — but  I  am  gratified  that  they  are  being 
published  and  regard  the  remarks  of  the  Wilmington 
Journal  as  just;  and  as  the  Sentinel  proposes  to  publish 
other  the  editor  has  consented  to  allo^v  me  to  read  and 
correct  the  proof  sheet. 

As  to  the  republication  of  them  in  your  paper  I  make 
no  request — but  should  you  deem  it  expedient  to  publish 
them,  I  suggest  that  these  mistakes  be  corrected. 

Salisbury. 


To  Engelhard  &  Price.^ 
Personal 

Raleigh  Jan  21  1869. 
I  have  been  gratified  at  your  commentaries  on  the  ex- concerning  tiu> 

.  .  publication  of  his 

tract  from  my  letter  to  the  President.  I  entirely  concur  letters. 
with  you  that  they  furnish  in  the  most  reliable  shape, 
a  historical  record  of  the  devilish  despotism  under  which 
we  lived  during  my  administration  and  I  confess  that 
I  felt  a  strong  personal  wish  that  the  public  should  know 
that  I  did  not  meanly  cringe  for  the  mere  purpose  of  re- 
taining office.  It  is  matter  of  pride  to  me  that  I  in  no 
instance,  asked  these  tyrants  io  do  anytJiing,  but  I  was  con- 
tinuously struggling  to  get  them  not  to  do. 

I  could  not  furnish  any  part  of  this  correspondence  to 
the  press  when  it  was  occuring  without  incurring  immedi- 
ate dismissal  from  office.  This  I  deemed  it  was  my  duty  to 
avoid  as  long  as  I  could  hold  my  place  with  dignity.  On 
one  occasion  I  asked  Genl  Canby  for  his  consent  to  ])ublish 
our  correspondence  touching  the  subject  we  were  then 
discussing.     He  refused  his  consent. 

The  publication  of  these  letters  now,  is  not  at  my  in- 
stance, or  upon  my  suggestion,  but  I  confess  my  gratifi- 
cation that  it  is  being  done.  Many  of  my  letters  will 
disclose  important  facts  not  generally  known  to  the  pub- 
lic.    Hitherto  I  have  not  supervised  the  publication  and 


1  Editors  of  the  Wilmington  Journal. 


1268  Xoirni  Carolina  Historical  Commission. 

some  inipurtaut  errors  of  the  press  have  miscarried  the 
sense.  For  instance  in  the  Granville  rape  case,  the  Mili- 
tary Court  of  Inquiry,  by  way  of  mitigation  or  excuse 
for  the  negro,  say,  in  a  written  report  to  Gcnl  Sickles, 
that  the  victim  of  the  outrage  was  of  bad  character,  and 
in  fact  "her  husband  was  engaged  in  overseeing  slaves 
and  was  in  the  rebel  army".  It  is  printed  splitting  slaves. 
The  error  I  greatly  regret.  Of  coui*se  the  error  occurs 
in  your  re-print.  I  shall  endeavor  to  get  permission  to 
read  the  proof  hereafter. 

In  the  copy  of  Canby's  letter  to  Grant,  which  the 
former  sent  me,  he  did  not  furnish  me  with  copies  of  the 
exhibits  which  accompanied  the  letter  to  Grant,  such  as 
the  affidavits  of  Tourgee  on  which  he  justifies  the  arrest 
of  Griffith: — and  the  documents  on  which  he  bases  his 
reflections  on  the  Legislature  and  the  Judiciary.  This 
was  an  omission.  The  word  7iot  is  omitted  in  the  printed 
copy,  whereby  I  am  made  to  say  these  exhibits  were  fur- 
nished me. 

In  the  last  number  published — my  letter  is  dated  Deer. 
31  1868  instead  of  1867 — and  the  word  "power"  substi- 
tuted for  "however  with  comma  after  it,  which  makes 
nonsense — And  the  word  "appelation"  substituted  for 
"appellate". 

I  furnished  the  copy  of  my  Tourgee  letter  published  in 
the  Sentinel  of  the  6th.  inst.  It  is  correctly  printed 
Whether  you  intentionally  omitted  insertion  in  your 
paper  or  not,  I  do  not  know.  I  regard  it  as  one  of  the 
best  of  the  series  and  should  be  pleased  to  see  it  in  your 
paper.  It  defeated  Holden  and  his  crew  in  getting  Canby 
to  make  Tourgee  a  judge  and  drew  from  Canby  an  apolo- 
getic letter  which  will  hereafter  appear,  with  my  reply 
calling  his  attention  to  an  injurious  falsehood,  in  his  let- 
ter which  he  Icneiv  ivas  false,  for  which  he  made  no  excuse. 

Should  you  continue  the  publication  of  these  letters  the 
Tourgee  letter  ought  to  be  published  to  render  intelligible 
others   which  will  follow. 


COERESPONDENCE    OF    JONATHAN    WoRTH.  1269 

To  John  Pool. 

Raleigh.  Jan.  25  1869. 


You  know  the   salary  of  Governor   in   this   State  for  Regarding  the 

■^  governors 

years  before  the  war  was  $3000.   a  year.     When  I  was  luansion. 
governor  it  was  made  $4000.  in  view  of  the  depreciation 
of  the  currency. 

In  addition  to  his  salary  Rev.  Code  Chapter  55  Sec.  14 
provides  that  he  shall  be  furnished  a  residence,  and  time 
out  of  mind  his  house  has  been  funiished  at  the  expense 
of  the  State. 

At  the  time  of  my  election  and  inauguration  the  Gov- 
ernor's mansion  was  occupied  as  lodgings  of  the  U.  S. 
military  stationed  here,  and  during  this  occupancy  the 
houses,  fences,  etc.  were  so  damaged  or  destroyed  that  I 
could  not  occupy  it  until  very  extensive  repairs  were  made, 
the  makiug  of  which  could  not  be  completed  until  I  was 
superceded  by  operation  of  the  Reconstruction  laws :  So 
I  never  occupied  the  mansion.  ISTearly  all  the  furniture 
had  evaporated. 

.  In  1866  the  Genl.  Assembly  passed  a  resolution  (I 
have  not  the  resolution  before  me)  directing  me  to  apply 
to  the  proper  authorities  of  the  U.  S.  for  rent  for  the  oc- 
cupation of  these  buildings,  and  to  appropriate  whatever 
might  be  allowed  in  consequence  of  the  State's  failure  to 
supply  me  a  mansion.  I  was  advised  that  the  proper  mode 
of  presenting  the  claim  was  through  the  Quarter  Master's 
department  and  I  accordingly  presented  it  to  Capt.  Aiken. 
in  the  year  1867.  He  reported  it  to  his  superior  Genl. 
Tyler,  stationed  at  Charleston,  which  report  approved  by 
Col.  Bomford,  military  commandant  here,  that  $125.  per 
month  was  fair  rent  for  it.  This  report  was  forwarded 
by  Genl.  Tyler,  as  he  informed  me,  to  the  Qr.  Master 
Genl.  I  learned  from  Genl  Tyler  that  it  was  not  allowed 
on  the  ground  that  he  was  not  allowed  by  law  to  pay  any 
rent  for  State  property  occu^iied  by  the  military,  after  the 
pacification.     I  had  personally  seen  the  gentleman  at  the 


1270  XoRTii  Carolina  Historical  Commission. 

head  of  the  Qr.  Master's  department  in  Washington  fGeul. 
Meigs  was  absent),  who  told  me  the  claim,  as  he  thought, 
would  be  allowed,  at  least  as  to  rent  which  accrued  after 
the  President's  proclamation  of  peace.  I  could  hear 
nothing  further  from  it.  I  was  never  notified  what  be- 
came of  the  claim  and  I  wrote  to  Secy.  Stanton,  but  got 
no  answer.  It  %rs  occurred  to  me  that  your  official  posi- 
tion may  enable  you  to  ascertain  the  status  of  this  matter, 
and  whether  there  is  any  chance  for  the  allowance  of  this 
claim. 

[P.  S.]  We  all  highly  appreciate  your  zealous  and  ef- 
fective efforts  in  getting  Major  Bagley  to  his  very  ap- 
propriate and  desirable  position. 

Washington,  D.  C. 


To  Perrin  Bushee. 

Kaleigh.  Jan.  25  1869. 
Your  late  letter  expressing  your  gratitude  to  me  for 
my  efforts  to  get  you  into  the  position  you  occupy,  was 
duly  received  and  was  most  gratifying  to  me:  gratifying 
because  I  have  always  regarded  you  as  a  worthy  descend- 
ent  of  your  excellent  ancestry,  and  at  the  same  time  free 
from  the  vanity  and  affectation  which  often  disqualify  me 
to  appreciate  merit  otherwise  entitled  to  my  regard.  I  re- 
gard you  as  eminently  deserving  of  the  efforts  I  have  made 
for  your  advancement,  and  as  far  as  I  am  concerned  the 
consciousness  of  duty  performed,  in  this  as  in  all  my  ac- 
tions, personal  or  official,  is  sufficient  reward:  but  your 
appreciation  of  my  efforts  for  you  is  the  surest  guaranty 
that  you  will  leave  nothing  undone  on  your  part  but  avail 
yourself  of  the  advantages  of  your  position  and  thus  lay 
the  foundation  of  a  successful  and  honorable  career  in  life. 
Aim  always  at  the  highest  standard  of  virtue  and  honor 
as  the  surest  road  to  self  esteem  and  enjoyment  and  real 


CORKESPONDEXCE    OF    JoXATlIAX     WoKTII.  1271 

greatness — And  notwithstanding  the  many  examples  our 
times  furnish  of  viUainy  rewarded  by  the  attainment  of 
high  places,  always  so  act  as  to  retain  your  own  self  es- 
teem, and  this  consciousness  of  rectituda  will  reward  you, 
even  if  an  undiscriminating  public  shall  not  duly  appre- 
ciate you :  but  virtue  and  honor,  nearly  always  bring  their 
reward  in  the  way  of  public  appreciation  and  honor. 
'Never  allow  any  apparent  present  advantage  to  make  you 
do  an  act  not  strictly  honest,  upright  and  honorable. 

If  Providence  should  grant  me  lengthened  years,  it  will 
be  most  gi'atifying  to  me  if  I  shall  hear  that  you  have  fol- 
lowed this  advice  from  one  who  will  always  feel  a  deep 
interest  in  your  public  career. 

My  health  has  been  poor  for  more  than  a  year:  not 
severely  but  almost  all  the  time  disqualifying  me  for  active 
business.  I  have  been  slowly  but  regularly  improving  for 
the  past  month  and  hope  I  may  ultimately  get  well. 

Annapot.is,  Maryland. 


To  Engelhard  &  Frice. 

Raleigh.  Jan.  21  1860. 
I  am  greatly  obliged  to  you  for  your  frank  and  friendly  conpeming  matter 

<=>  '^  o  J  .J  J  jy,.  publication. 

letter  of  the  23rd  inst.  and  at  an  early  date  will  furnish 
you  with  some  material  for  the  friendly  commentary  you 
propose  to  make  after  the  conclusion  of  the  publication  of 
my  official  correspondence.  My  interview  w^ith  the  pub- 
lic induces  me  to  believe  that  the  intelligent  portion  of  our 
people  read  these  letters  with  much  interest,  both  on  ac- 
count of  the  fact  that  they  disclose  much  of  the  working  of 
Reconstruction,  in  authentic  form,  not  previously  pub- 
lished, and  because  they  show  (what  I  could  not  disclose 
through  the  press  at  the  time)  that  I  did  not  meanly 
truckle. to  our  military  rulers,  but  did  all  I  could  to  miti- 
gate the  severity  of  the  infernal  despotism  which  ham- 
pered me. 


1272  I^OKTH  Carolina  Historical  Commission. 

I  understand  Mr.  Turner  will  continue  to  publish  after 
the  conclusion  of  my  letter  to  the  President,  a  number  of 
others  addressed  to  Genls.  Robinson,  Sickles  and  Cauby — 
but  they  will  appear  only  occasionally,  as  current  matters 
may  allow. 

If  you  publish  these  letters  in  your  weekly,  with  cor- 
rection of  the  typographical  errors  I  have  indicated,  please 
send  me  a  dozen  copies  and  let  me  know  how  much  I  owe 
for  them. 

The  object  of  this  letter  is  to  submit  to  you  the  rea- 
sons of  my  action  in  the  matters  to  which  you  frankly  say 
you  Avere  violently  opposed.  You  will  see  I  could  not  pru- 
dently vindicate  myself  at  the  time,  through  the  press,  and 
the  continuous  pressure  of  public  duties  did  not  leave  me 
time,  through  other  channels,  to  post  my  friends. 

As  to  Xorfleet — Ever  since  Xorfleet,  Dockery,  Dick 
Settle,  Rodman,  Pearson,  Reade,  etc.  gave  in  their  adhe- 
sion to  Reconstruction  and  courted  the  negro  vote  for  office, 
I  have  viewed  them  with  positive  loathing.  I  abhorred  to 
nominate  Xorfleet  upon  his  participation  in  the  negi-o 
Convention  here.  Entertaining  these  sentiments  you  nat- 
urally ask  why  I  nominated  him  over  such  distinguished 
gentleman  as  Judge  Howard  and  Gov.  Clark,  who  were 
my  personal  friends  and  who  had  zealously  advocated  my 
election  over  Holden  while  l^orfleet  voted  against  me.  I 
have  always  maintained  that  Howard  ought  to  have  been 
re-elected  judge  and  I  had  always  felt  and  still  feel  to- 
wards these  gentlemen  high  personal  regard,  nothwith- 
standing  they  are  alienated  from  me. 

At  the  time  of  this  appointment,  I  knew,  from  the  most 
reliable  sources  of  information,  that  Holden  and  his  min- 
ions were  using  their  utmost  influence  over  Genl  Sickles 
to  induce  him  to  assume  control  over  the  public  works  of 
the  State  and  that  Sickles  was  lending  a  favorable  ear  to 
their  importunities.  If  I  had  then  nominated  [Here 
folloivs  a  page  which  cannot  he  i'ead.'\ 

I  had  long  been  satified  that  the  prominent  stockholders 


COKKESPONDENCE    OF    JoNATHAN    WoRTH,  1273 

of  the  R  «lt  G.  K.  11.,  had  managed,  in  favor  of  their  Road, 
to  control  the  management  of  the  IS".  C,  R.  R.,  to  the 
prejudice  of  the  State.  Mr.  Webb,  also  though  a  worthy 
gentleman  and  my  friend,  concurred  in  this  management. 
While  he  continued  to  be  President  of  the  IST.  C.  R.  R., 
or  any  other  man  of  ordinary  nerve,  I  thought  this  man- 
agement could  not  be  changed.  I  regarded  Jo.  Turner 
as  a  man  who  had  the  capacity  and  the  nerve  to  shake  off 
this  thralldom  and  decided  to  nominate  him  as  a  Director 
in  1866,  hoping  he  would  be  made  President.  I  did  not 
deem  it  proper  to  exact  any  promise  from  my  appointees 
as  to  their  vote  for  Prest.  In  looking  over  the  directory  of 
the  jST.  C.  R.  R.  for  a  nuzaber  of  years  I  found  Wilming- 
ton the  chief  commercial  town  of  the  State  and  whose 
citizens  had  contributed  with  lavish  liberality  to  the 
bnilding  of  this  Road,  had  not  been  accorded  a  director. 
I  decided  that  Wilmington  ought  to  have  a  director.  The 
time  was  at  hand  when  I  had  to  act.  In  looking  over  the 
Directors  I  had  settled  upon,  I  found  that  only  one  of  the 
seven,  in  the  old  organization  of  parties,  was  a  democrat, 
although  I  had  not  thought  of  party  in  fixing  on  their 
nomination.  I  went  to  Wilmington  and  upon  my  invita- 
tion held  a  conference  with  a  number  of  your  prominent 
citizens,  among  whom  I  remember  Mr.  Engelhard,  Genl. 
Ransom,  W.  A.  W^right,  O.  G.  Parsley.  I  stated  to  this 
meeting  that  I  wished  to  give  a  Director  to  Wilmington, 
and  that  I  preferred  he  should  be  a  democrat  to  protect 
me  from  the  reputation  of  having  made  partizan  selec- 
tions. They  agreed  on  Mr.  Strange  and  I  appointed  him. 
He  voted  for  Mr.  Webb,  as  President,  who  Avas  elected, 
and  the  policy  I  condemned,  favoring  the  R.  &  G.  R.  R., 
as  I  thought,  to  the  prejudice  of  the  State  was  continued. 
Among  the  Directors  recommended  by  me  for  1866-67 
was  Mr.  Boyden.  Although  he  had  been  an  appointee  of 
Holden  in  1865 — had  been  made  president — and  had 
grossly  neglected  his  duties,  under  all  the  surroundings  I 
deemed  it  expedient  to  re-appoint  him  a  Director.  I  be- 
lieved he  would  vote  for  Turner.     He  voted  for  Webb. 


1274  XoKTH  Carolina  Historical  Commission, 

Out  of  12  meetings  of  the  Directors  in  1866-67,  Mr. 
Boydon  and  Mr.  Strange  were  very  rarely  present.  In 
1867  I  nominated  Mr.  Coffin  in  place  of  Boyden  and  O. 
G.  Parsley  in  place  of  Mr.  Strange,  putting  the  discon- 
tinuing of  the  gentlemen  upon  the  ground  of  their  neglect 
of  duty.  The  new  appointees,  as  I  hoped,  though  I  had 
no  pledge,  voted  for  Tujner,  which  resulted  in  the  change 
of  management  manifestly  promoting,  as  I  thought,  the 
States's  interests. 

I  know  of  no  one  for  whom  I  feel  a  more  cordial  per- 
sonal regard  than  I  do  for  Mr.  Strange,  but  I  thought 
then,  as  I  do  now,  that  the  interests  of  the  State  would 
be  better  advanced  by  the  appointment  of  another.  Ac- 
cording to  my  views  then  and  now,  the  interests  of  the 
State  and  your  town  were  promoted  by  the  election  of 
Turner.  I  mean  no  reflection  on  Judge  Strange.  He,  no 
doubt  acted,  as  I  know  I  did,  according  to  his  convictions 
of  duty.  The  discontinuance  of  both  Strange  and  Boyden, 
both  at  the  time,  my  friends,  was  a  painful  duty,  but  .1 
submit  that  even  if  I  erred,  I  erred  on  the  side  of  my  con- 
victions of  duty  to  the  State. 

As  to  the  appointment  of  Martin,  I  have  only  to  say 
that  I  knew  nothing  at  the  time  as  to  his  personal  or  po- 
litical antecedents,  save  a  representation  from  some  par- 
ties and  personal  friends  whose  letter  is  among  the  Execu- 
tive files,  I  believe,  that  he  was  a  gentleman  of  means 
about  to  visit  Paris.  There  was  no  compensation  attached 
to  the  appointment  and  no  political  significance  belonged  to 
it.  I  gave  the  matter  little  consideration — and  issued  both 
to  him  and  Genl.  Clingman,  who  was  about  going  to  Paris, 
a  commission.  T  afterwards  learned  that  there  was  a  blem- 
ish on  the  moral  character  of  Martin,  which  our  friends, 
about  the  same  time,  deemed  venial  in  another  dis- 
tingTiished  citizen  of  your  town.  I  may  have  erred  in  this 
apointment,  but  coupled  with  the  appointment  of  Genl. 
Clingman  I  submit  that  it  ought  not  to  subject  me  to 
violent  censure. 


Correspondence  of  Jonathan  Worth.  1275 

Althoiigk  unwell  and  writing  with  difficulty  I  have 
made  this  prolix  explanation  because  I  have  the  highest 
regard  for  the  ability  and  dignity  which  always  distinguish 
your  Journal,  and  although  I  regard  my  political  course 
as  run,  I  desire  to  remove,  what  I  regard  as  an  erroneous 
impression  as  to  my  official  conduct.  I  regard  your  course 
in  forebearing  from  injurious  comment  under  your  con- 
victions, as  springing  from  manly  and  noble  motives,  of 
which  few  men  are  capable. 

Wilmington. 


To  Engelhard  &  Price. 

Ealeigii.  Jan.  28  1869. 
You  once  mentioned  to  me  that  you  had  the  documents  sioan  and  jones 

'^  .    fraud. 

relating  to  the  theft  of  Sloan  &  Jones,  laid  up  for  publi- 
cation whenever  Jones  should  again  seek  public  prefer- 
ment. That  time  has  come.  jSTo  time  should  be  lost  in 
printing  them  and  having  a  co^^y  placed  in  the  hands  of 
every  voter  in  the  district.  The  Conservatives  or  Jones' 
competitor  should  pay  you  for  it.  With  this  disclosure 
before  him,  no  honest  voter  can  support  Jones. 

You  may  use  editorially  any  of  the  facts  stated  in  the 
narrative  which  I  herewith  inclose.  Would  it  not  be  well 
for  you  to  address  Kemp  Battle  in  relation  to  the  facts 
set  forth  in  the  latter  part  of  this  narrative  ?  The  ami- 
ability of  my  friend  Battle  has  led  him  to  exhibit  too 
much  leniency,  I  think,  towards  these  villains. 


To  the  Editors  of  the  Wdm'mgton  Journal. 

Ealeigh  Feb.  3  1869. 
'Not  seeing  my  letter  touching  Tourgee  published  in  yr 
paper,  I  fear  Mr.  Turner  may  have  failed  to  send  you 
his  paper  containing  it. 


1276  NoKTH  Carolina  Histokical  Commission. 

The  fact  tliat  such  a  wretch  is  made  a  judge  under  re- 
construction and  at  the  same  time  made  a  Code  Comr., 
drawing  a  salary  of  some  $5,000.  from  the  State  Treasury 
is  a  very  striking  exhibit  of  the  workings  of  recon- 
struction. 

The  fact  that  Holden  was  using  his  influence  with 
Canby  to  appoint  Tourgee  a  judge,  was  apparent  by  the 
editorials  of  the  Standard. 

This  letter  defeated  the  scheme.  It  exhibits  some  of 
the  mean  crouching,  on  my  part,  to  which  so  many  at  that 
time,  actuated  with  what  I  regarded  as  short  sighted  and 
ignoble  views  of  expediency.  It  extorted  respect  from 
Canby,  as  exhibited  in  his  reply,  which  Turner  will  prob- 
ably publish. 

I  am  a  little  proud  of  the  clincher  with  which  I  wind 
up  the  array  of  names  I  cite  to  prove  Tourgee's  bad  charac- 
ter, to-wit — "Thos.  Barley,  freedman,  Greensboro,  IST.  C. : 
As  much  as  to  say,  if  these  names  will  not  satisfy  you. 
Genl.,  I  close  with  one  you  can't  fail  to  respect. 


To ^ 

At  Home  Feh.  3  1869. 
Jones  fraud  matter.  A.  J.  Joncs  is  a  Candidate  for  the  Senate  from  Bladen, 
Brunswick  and  Columbus.  The  editors  of  the  Wilming- 
ton Journal  ask  me  to  send  them  a  copy  of  the  communi- 
cation I  sent  to  the  Genl  Assembly  touching  the  cotton 
speculation  of  Sloan  and  Jones.  It  was  printed  in  the 
Legislative  Documents  of  1865-66,  of  which  I  have  no 
copy.  Will  you  lend  me  your  or  procure  one  for  me  ? 
The  Editors  promise  to  return  it.  Being  quite  unwell  I 
deem  it  imprudent  to  turn  out  to  procure  it. 

I  think  I  remember  that  in  a  subsequent  account  ren- 
dered to  you  by  Swepson,  Mendenhall,  &  Co.  the  State  was 
debited  with  $500  claimed  to  be  advanced  to  Jones,  on 


1  Probably  Kemp  P.  Battle. 


COERESPONDENCE    OF    JONATHAN    WoRTII.  1277 

account  of  the  cotton  then  in  tvansitn  sold  to  Jones  and 
Sloan.  Was  this  $500.  paid  to  the  State?  If  so,  who 
paid  it  ?  If  I  could  prudently  go  out,  I  would  sec  you 
instead  of  addressing  to  you  this  note. 

[P.  S.]     Please  send  me  the  document  to  which  I  re- 
fer hy  the  bearer. 


To  E.  B.  Dral-e.^ 

Ealeigh  Feb.  3  IS 69. 
You  will  have  observed  that  the  Sentinel  has  of  late  pub-  concerning  the . 

^  publication  of  his 

lished  certain  official  letters  of  mine  and  that  some  of  his  lexers, 
exchanges  are  re-publishing  them  with  complimentary 
commentaries.  Among  them  is  the  Wilmington  Journal 
— a  paper  with  much  ability — This  paper  remarks  "as  a 
matter  of  history  alone  these  letters  are  most  valuable : 
As  a  matter  of  justice  to  Gov.  W^orth  these  letters  should 
be  published".  If  it  should  be  your  purpose  to  publish 
them  in  your  weekly  will  you  correct  certain  errors  in 
the  printing  which  I  will  indicate,  please  send  me  a  dozen 
copies,  informing  me  what  to  pay  you  for  them. 

My  letter  touching  Tourgee  in  the  Sentinel  of  the  6 
Jan.  is  correctly  printed. 

In  my  letter  published  14  Jan.,  towards  the  middle  of 
it,  speaking  of  the  statements  made  by  Tourgee  (A)  and 
sundry  reports  (B.  C.  D.)  furnished  to  Genl.  Grant  I 
am  made  to  say  "copies  of  which  are  sent  to  me"  It  should 
be  "copies  of  which  were  not  sent  to  me".  I  have  never 
had  a  copy  of  these  papers.  The  error  is  a  very  important 
one.  While  Genl  Canby  professes  to  send  me  a  copy  of 
his  letter  to  Genl  Grant,  he  does  not  send  me  a  full 
copy.  These  exhibits  were  the  essence  of  his  letter.  They 
are  suppressed.  I  and  the  public  would  gladly  see  them. 
It  was  impossible  to  reply  to  his  expressions,  the  facts 
on  which  he  professes  to  rest  them  being  withheld. 


1  Editor   of  the  Statesville  American. 


1278  NoKTii  Carolina  Historical  Commission. 

In  the  letter  published  in  the  Sentinel  of  the  15tli  Jan. 
speaking  of  the  victim  of  the  rape  and  her  daughter,  who 
witnessed  it,  I  say  neither  of  them  was  summoned  or  ex- 
amined, although  both  were  at  their  homes  in  the  County 
"County"  is  printed  "Country" :  and  further  I  quote  from 
the  report  of  the  military  Court  of  Inquiry  the  words 
"The  woman's  husband  was  engaged  in  overseeing  slaves. 
The  printed  copy  has  it  "splitting  staves"  instead  of 
"overseeing  slaves."     This  is  a  terrible  error. 

In  my  letter  relating  to  Provost  Courts  the  printed  copy 
has  it  "copies  of  which  were  sent  to  me".  The  word  "not" 
between  "were"  and  "sent"  is  omitted,  entirely  changing 
the  sense. 

In  the  letter  published  Jan.  15  the  printed  copy  makes 
me  say  the  victim  of  the  crime  and  her  daughter  who  wit- 
nessed it  were  in  the  Country.  It  should  be  County.  The 
error  takes  away  the  significance  of  the  remark. 

Further  on  the  printed  copy  has  it  the  woman's  hus- 
band was  spitting  slaves  instead  of  "overseer  of  slaves." 
This  error  is  terrible. 

In  the  paper  of  Jan.  20,  latter  part  of  paragraph  pre- 
ceding the  last  it  is  printed  which  power  arrogant  etc.  It 
should  have  been  which  however  arrogant  etc. 

In  the  last  paragraph,  appelative  should  be  "appellate". 

I  am  certain  these  letters  are  read  with  much  interest 
by  the  best  and  most  intelligent  men  in  the  State. 

Statesville. 


To  Josiali  Turner. 

Kaleigh  Feh.  8  1869. 

I  send  herewith  a  document  I  should  never  have  pre- 
pared if  I  had  anticipated  the  amount  of  labor  it  has  re- 
quired. 

I  accompany  it  with  the  letters  from  which  I  derive 
the  facts. 


CORKESPONDENCE    OF    JONATHAN    WoRTII,  1279 

If  YOU  shall  deem  the  article  too  long  for  publication, 
you  can  use  such  facts  derived  from  it  as  you  think  proper, 

I  desire  that  it  be  so  managed  as  not  to  bring  me  promi- 
nently before  the  public.  There  is  nothing  in  the  liquida- 
tion by  which  these  facts  were  ascertamed  which  I  may 
not  honorably  avow — ^but  I  wish  at  present  to  be  quiet. 

I  am  persuaded  the  facts  will  surprise  your  readers — 
and  that  their  publication  will  benefit  your  Journal  and 
promote  the  public  interest. 

If  the  entire  table  can  be  published  without  occupying 
too  much  room,  it  will  be  much  more  impressive  than  the 
summing  up,  without  the  details.  Lot  me  ask  you  to  read 
it  carefullv,  and  then  act  as  vou  deem  rio'lit. 


To  E.  B.  Drake. 

RaleicxII  Feh.  U  1S69. 
I  send  you  one  'No.  of  the  Wilmington  Journal  contain-  concerning  the 

•^  &  iniblicationof  his 

ing  my  Tourgee  letter  and  8  IS^os.  of  the  Sentinel  contain-  le^^rs. 
ing  my  letters  to  President  Johnson. 

These  letters,  as  I  think,  present  in  authentic  form  some 
of  the  monstrosities  of  reconstruction,  which  are  worthy 
of  preservation  as  a  part  of  the  history  of  the  times — 
and  it  seems  to  me  that  their  publication  is  due  to  me — as 
well  as  to  those  who  made  me  Governor  of  X.  C. :  but  I 
know  how  prone  we  all  are  to  over-estimate  our  own  pro- 
ductions and  hence  I  have  not  directly  or  indirectly  asked 
for  their  jDublication.  I  have  noted  in  pencil  certain  typo- 
graphical errors  affecting  the  sense  materially.  I  believe 
they  will  be  read  with  much  interest  by  your  patrons ;  but 
I  would  not  have  you  publish  them  to  the  exclusion  of  mat- 
ter whicli  you  may  think  likely  to  be  more  acceptable  to 
your  readers.  I  have  reason  to  feel  gratified  by  the 
numerous  expressions  of  approbation  whicli  reach  me  from 
the  class  whose  regard  I  appreciate — as  well  as  at  the  si- 
lence of  the  degraded  portions  of  our  press  and  people  who 


12S0  XoRTH  Carolina  Historical  Commission. 

from  cowardice  or  baser  considerations  lick  the  hands  of 
the  poor  devils  who  have  ascendency  over  us. 

I  thank  yon  heartily  for  your  generous  offer,  if  you  pub- 
lish these  letters  corrected,  to  furnish  me  with  some  num- 
bers of  your  paper  containing  the  corrected  edition.  I 
have  no  copies  than  those  I  send  you.  I  would  be  glad 
to  re-place  them  in  my  file  if  you  can  use  them  conve- 
niently without  mutilation. 


To  Thomas  Wilcox. 

Kaleigh.  Feb.  16  1860. 

In  my  correspondence  with  Genl.  Canby  touching  your 
removal  and  the  appointment  of  your  successor,  etc.  he 
sent  me  a  very  long  document  from  one  of  his  subordinates 
purporting  to  explain  the  grounds  of  his  action.  In  the 
vast  amount  of  duties  I  was  then  called  upon  to  perform, 
I  could  not,  with  my  clerical  force,  make  you  a  copy.  The 
document  is  on  file  in  the  Governor's  office  and  I  can  have 
it  copied  and  send  you  the  copy,  but  will  have  to  pay  some 
$5.  to  the  copyist.  It  has  occurred  to  me  as  possible  that 
you  would  like  to  have  the  copy  which  tends  to  explain  the 
machinations  of  your  enemies.  If  you  do  not  care  to  in- 
cur the  expense  of  the  copy  it  will  be  unnecessary  that 
you  answer  this  note. 

Trenton. 


To  John  Pool. 

Raleigh  Apl  9  1869. 
Concerning  rent         I  had  hopcd  that  I  might  be  paid  some  house  rent  by 

due  on  the  i  n  i 

mansion.  the  Gcul.  Assembly  in  lieu  of  my  right  to  a  furnished 

mansion.  A  bill  was  pending  to  allow  Gov.  Holden  $1000. 
for  furnishing  his  own  house.     I  did  not  occupy  the  man- 


CoERESPONDEiSiCE    OF    JoNATIIAN     WoKTH.  1281 

fjion  during  my  term,  eommmeing  28  Dec.  1865  to  date 
of  my  removal  July  1/09,  because  I  could  uot  g-et  the  mili- 
tary to  surrender  it  to  me  till  17  July  1807  and  the  re- 
mainder of  the  time  was  required  to  repair  it.  I  thought 
I  was  as  much  entitled  to  rent  as  Gov.  Holden,  who  volun- 
tarily declined  to  occupy  the  mansion.  But  the  Genl.  As;, 
sembly,  to  avoid  putting  my  claim  on  the  footing  which  it 
would  have  and  instead  of  allowing  him  $1500.  rent, 
raised  his  salary  to  $5000.  As  it  is  about  certain  that  I 
would  not  be  allowed  any  thing  I  do  not  care  to  expose 
myself  to  a  refusal,  and  shall  not  present  the  claim — but 
desire  to  press  the  claim  before  the  proper  authority  of 
the  U.  S.  The  Genl.  Assembly  authorised  nie  to  prefer 
this  claim  against  the  IT.  S.  and  to  apply  what  might  be 
allowed  to  my  own  use,  in  lieu  of  the  mansion  to  which  I 
was  entitled  by  law.  I  preferred  the  claim  for  rent  to 
the  Qr.  Master  here.  He  reported,  as  he  informed  me. 
that  $125.  per  month  was  a  reasonable  rent  for  the  build- 
ings. The  mansion  was  occupied  by  the  chief  of  the  mili- 
tary and  Ereedman's  Bureau  here.  They  and  their  sub- 
ordinates occupied  every  room  in  the  main  building  and 
all  the  out  houses.  Col.  Bomford,  Commandant  of  this 
Post  apj)roved  the  report  of  the  Qr.  Master.  This  for  the 
18  months  of  military  occupation  would  amount  to  $1875. 
This  report  was  sent  to  Genl.  Tyler,  at  Charleston,  the 
superior  officer  of  the  qr.  master  here.  He  told  me  ver- 
bally that  he  approved  it  as  to  amount  and  forwarded  it 
to  the  Qr  Master  Genl.,  but  stated  that  he  did  not  think 
it  would  be  allowed,  because  the  department  has  decided 
to  allow  no  rent  for  the  occupation  of  State  property.  At 
the  suggestion  of  Gen.  Tyler  I  addressed  a  letter  on  the 
subject  to  Sec.  Stanton.  He  did  not  answer.  As  to  the 
action  of  the  Qr.  Master  Genl.  I  am  not  informed.  As  to 
the  occupation  of  the  mansion,  I  was  as  much  entitled  to 
it  by  law,  as  I  was  to  the  Executive  offices  in  the  Capitol. 
Its  detention  was  a  wrong  to  me.  The  Genl.  Assembly 
having  authorised  me  to  ask  for  rents  and  api^ropriate  the 
Vol.  2—40 


1282  ^ORTH  Carolixa  Histoeical  Co:mmission. 

amount  to  niv  own  nse,  I  can  perceive  no  color  of  cquitv 
in  withholding'  the  rent  from  me. 

My  object  in  this  recapitulation  is  this.  I  presume 
your  appropriate  duties  leave  you  no  time  to  look  after 
claims  of  this  sort — and  if  so  I  would  have  you  employ  an 
efficient  claim  agent  at  a  commission  on  the  amount  he 
may  collect,  to  be  agreed  upon  between  him  and  you,  to 
press  this  claim,  if  the  facts  stated,  all  of  which  I  can 
authenticate,  entitle  me  to  anything.  And  to  this  end 
you  may  place  this  letter  in  the  hands  of  such  agent,  with 
a  view  to  direct  correspondence  between  such  agent  and 
myself. 

[P.  S.] — I  regard  the  tenure  of  office  bill  as  unconsti- 
tutional and  likely  to  injure  in  its  eifects — and  think  there- 
fore it  should  be  repealed.  The  amended  act  I  regard  as 
equally  objectionable. 

Washixgtox,  I).  C. 


2^0  Josiah  Turner. 

RaleicxII  Apl  23/69. 

I  inclose  thirteen  dollars — $3.  for  weekly  Sentinel  to 
be  sent  to  Jesse  G.  Henshaw — ^ew  Salem — via  Higli 
Point :  He  would  like  to  have  his  subscription  begin  with 
that  containing  your  account  of  the  intended  assault  on 
you  at  Depot  by  J.  TTolden  and  others,  if  you  have  the 
back  numbers. 

$5.  for  B.  ]\roffitt — Asheboro,  for  daily  Sentinel. 

$5.  for  my  snbscri|)tion  from  time  you  became  pro- 
prietor. 


From  John  Pool. 

Washixgtox,  May  3,  1869. 
Concerning  rent        I  presented  your  claim  before  the  Sec.  of  War,  and  was 
mansion.  bv  him  referred  to  the  Qr.  Master  General.     I  laid  the 


r 


COREESPOJSTDENCE    OF    JoNATHAX    WoKTlI.  12S3 


facts  before  him.  He  is  not,  at  all,  favorably  disposed. 
But  holds  back  his  decision  for  further  inquiry,  etc.  He 
promises  to  give  me  or  you  his  decision  in  writing  before 
'  many  days.  We  can  then  see  how  the  matter  stands,  and 
can  prepare  a  case,  with  all  the  facts,  dates,  etc.  clearly 
stated,  and  then  take  it  before  the  Attorney  General — or 
if  an  Act  of  Congress  be  necessary,  before  that  body,  at 
its  next  session.  But  I  still  hope  for  a  favorable  answer 
from  the  Qr.  Master  General. 

I  thought  it  best  not  to  call  in  any  lawyer  or  claim 
agent  in  this  City  until  after  hearing  from  the  Depart- 
ment, and  being  able  to  see  whether  such  aid  is  necessary. 

If  we  have  to  call  in  a  lawyer  or  claim  agent,  I  think 
the  best  is  the  firm  of  McLellan  &  Benedict,  448  Fifteenth 
St.  But  you  may  see  better  about  it  when  the  De]iart- 
ments  have  been  heard  from. 

I  shall  leave  the  City  in  a  few  days,  but  expect  to  re- 
turn in  July,  or  perhaps,  June,  and  spend  most  of  the 
summer  here. 

I  will  cheerfully  render  any  aid  in  my  power  in  this 
matter. 


To  E.  B.  Dral-e. 

RaleiCxH  May  IS  ISOO. 
I  went  over  to-day  especially  to  inquire  into  the  suit 
against  you  for  $4000.  Confederate  money  which  you  bor- 
rowed from  the  Bank  of  IST.  C.  near  the  close  of  the  war. 
Mr.  Dewey  showed  me  a  copy  of  a  letter  he  lately  s(>nt 
you  touching  the  matter.  Presuming  you  have  received 
his  letter  I  need  not  state  its  contents.  On  his  terms  you 
can  compromise  or  settle  at  $1.00  in  $50.  Yr.  acceptance 
fell  due  in  ]\[ay  1865  when  Confederate  money  was  worth 
nothing.  On  his  terms  you  can  get  rid  of  the  demand  for 
some  $100.  in  present  currency ;  and  the  costs  of  the  suit. 
You  say  you  tendered  payment  in  Con.  currency  and  that 


12S4  XoiJTii  Cakolina  Historical  Commission. 

it  Avas  refused — Whether  this  tender  was  made  before  or 
after  vour  debt  fell  due,  ycni  do  not  state.  Upon  the  facts 
before  me  I  can  not  advise  you  whether  it  is  best  to  com- 
promise on  the  terms  proposed  by  Mr.  Dewey  or  not. 

Accept  my  sincere  thanks  for  the  accurate  printing  of 
my  letter  to  the  president.  I  hope  the  space  occupied,  was 
Avarranted  by  the  matter  and  that  the  publication  has  been 
acceptable  to  the  readers  of  your  paper. 

I  desired  to  pay  you  for  the  extra  numbers  of  yr.  paper, 
covering  this  letter,  which  I  have  duly  reed,  but  you  de- 
clined to  receive  pay. 

I  inclose  $5.  which  you  will  please  credit  to  me  in  such 
way  as  you  think  proper — and  if  you  need  any  further 
interposition  in  the  suit  against  you,  wherein  I  can  serve 
you,  command  my  services. 

Statesville. 


From  F.  M.  A.  Drake. 

La  Pkairie^  Ills.  July  S/G9. 
I  desired  to  pa}'  you  for  the  extra  numbers  of 
yr.  paper,  and  am  truly  sorry  to  learn  of  your 
indisposition.  I  am  in  hopes  by  this  time  you  are 
rapidly  improving,  and  will  soon  regain  your  health.  I 
was  apprised  of  the  death  of  your  daughter  Mary — and 
that  of  your  grand-children,  I  receive  the  Sentinel  and 
American  every  week  besides  letters  almost  as  frequent 
from  friends,  and  consequently  I  am  pretty  well  informed 
of  matters  and  things  in  my  dear  old  E'ative  State.  And 
I  can  assure  you  that  there  is  no  citizen  of  the  State  at 
present  that  feels  any  greater  degree  of  contempt  for  the 
Mean  Scallawags  and  carj^etbaggers  there  than  I  do,  I  do 
sincerely  hope  that  the  people  of  the  State  may  be  enabled 
to  realize  their  condition  while  under  the  control  of  such 
thieves  and  scoundrals,  and  that  they  will  immediately 
take  steps  to  put  them  from  place  and  power.  There  has. 
been   a   great   deal    said  about   traitors  but,  the   Meanest 


CORKESPONDENCE    OF    JoNATHA]\'    WoRTII.  1285 

traitors  in  the  world  are  those  that  betray  their  own  coun- 
try, and  i^eople,  for  a  few  paltry  greenbacks,  (Judas  like). 
I  think  Holden  is  corruption  deeply  corrupted.  There  is 
certainly  no  deeper  depth  of  infamy  to  attain  than  he  has 
already  attained,  it  would  seem  that  like  one  of  old,  he 
would  "be  eaten  of  worms"  for  his  wickedness. 

I  am  glad  to  learn  that  you  have  good  crops  in  ^orth 
Carolina,  and  other  Southern  States.  I  am  always  glad 
to  hear  of  the  prosperity  of  the  South.  Bvit  it  is  not  the 
case  with  us  here  in  Illinois,  the  corn  which  is  our  main 
stake  is  an  entire  failure,  and  the  wheat  crop  wdll  certainly 
be  lost  unless  it  ceases  to  rain  immediately.  It  has  rained 
here  so  much  this  spring  that  the  farmers  could  not  plant 
a  full  crop,  and  the  worst  of  it  is  they  have  never  been 
able  to  cultivate  what  they  did  plant,  and  it  is  still  raining. 
When  it  will  cease  we  don't  know.  The  times  are  gloomy 
with  us,  altho  we  have  a  considerable  quantity  of  old  corn 
and  wheat  on  hand,  so  that  we  will  not  perish. 


^ViUiam  11.  Baghij  to  Dr.  H.  B.  Noel 

Ealeigh.  N.  C.  Sept.  IStli  1S69. 
Governor   Worth   died   about     eleven     o'clock,     Sundav  xoticeofGov. 

•     Worth's  doath. 

night,  the  5th  inst.,  as  you  have,  no  doubt,  been  informed 
by  the  news-papers; — and  I  write  at  the  request  of  ]Mrs. 
Worth,  to  express  to  you  the  deep  feelings  of  respect  and 
regard,  which  she,  and  all  her  children,  entertain  for  you. 
for  your  kind  and  unselfish  attentions  to  the  lamented 
dead,  while  under  your  treatment.  They  all  feel  that  his 
death  was,  in  no  wise,  attributable  to  any  fault  of  yours. 
Indeed,  they  have  the  satisfactory-  assurance  that  you  did 
all  that  skill  and  kind  attentions  could  do,  under  the  cir- 
cumstances. The  recollection  of  these  kindnesses  will  be 
cherished  with  the  memory  of  the  departed,  and  your  name 


1286 


XoRTii  Carolixa  Historical  Commission. 


will  be  rciiipnibercd  in  the  jH-ayers  of  bereaved  hearts, 
as  that  of  one  "who  had  a  heart  to  feel  for  other's  woe," 
and  a  hand  to  help. 

The  Governor  often  spoke  of  yon  before  his  death,  in 
words  of  admiration  of  yonr  kindness,  of  yonr  devotion  to 
yonr  patients,  and  of  eonfidence  in  yonr  skill.  He  is  now 
(j()}i(',  and  ire,  alone,  are  left  to  thank  yon  and  })ray  for 
yonr  hai)piness.  Our  pathways  are  far  apart ;  but  should 
occasion  ever  bring  you  near  to  them,  be  assured  that  the 
doors  of  those,  who  in  life  were  dear  to  him  they  now 
mourn,  will  be  opened  wide  to  you,  and  their  hearts,  also. 

Trusting  that  Providence  may  long  spare  you  to  do 
much  good,  and  to  acquire  that  reputation  in  yonr  noble 
profession,  which  your  merits  deserve,  I  subscribe  myself, 

Rockbridge  Alum,  Va. 


I 


CORKESPO^^DENCE    OF    JoXATHAN    WoKTII.  1287 

APPENDIX. 


The  following  letters  were  found  too  late  for  insertion 
in  regnlar  order : 

To  Jvlin  L.  Holmea. 

Jan.  21  in. 

I  hope  yon  will  nut  hesitate  to  act  under  the  eoniniissioii 
which  will  he  handed  yon  hy  (xenl.  S(^a\vell  whom  I  here- 
by introdnce  to  yon. 

I  wish  yon  not  only  to  act  with  him  on  the  special  cases 
referred  to  bnt  also  in  a  case  in  Johnson  Comity  to  which 
he  will  call  yonr  attention, 

I  will  recommend  and  the  Genl  Assembly  will  no  donbt 
readily  pay  yon  not  only  yonr  expenses  bnt  as  mnch  as 
they  pa}'  themselves — say  six  dollars  per  day  for  the  time 
yon  may  be  engaged  in  this  service.  And  as  onr  treasnry 
is  very  lean  I  ho]ie  this  compensation  will  be  satisfactory 
to  yon. 

I  inclose  to  yon  copies  of  correspondence  touching  the 
cases  in  Xew  Hanover  &  Robeson. 

WiLMIIS'GTON.' 


To  P.  11.  Winston. 

■Jan.  22  07. 
I  have  recommended  yr  friend  Erasmus   L.   Simmous 
as   a   fit   man   to   be   appointed   surveyor   of  the   Port   of 
Windsor,  X.  C. 
Windsor. 


]288  North  (\\kolixa  Historical  Cominiission. 

To  Jose  pit  A.  Worth.^ 

Company's    Shops 
Sunday,  Apr.  22/65 

I  parted  from  David  in  Raleigh  at  about  noon  on  last 
Wednesday  week.  I  hope  he  got  safely  to  Roxana's,  but 
have  not  heard  from  him  or  my  family  since.  My  in- 
tention then  was,  the  R.  R.  ISTorth  &  West  of  Greensboro 
being  cut  by  the  enemy,  to  have  the  State  wagon  train 
pushed  out  to  Morrisville  there  to  meet  the  train,  have 
the  State  valuables  aboard — and  to  escape  with  them  to 
your  neighborhood.  The  State  wagoners  ran  away  and 
others  could  not  be  supplied  till  Wednesday  night — 
Sherman  being  then  in  6  miles  of  Raleigh.  The  wagon 
train  was  then  directed  to  push  forward  to  Durham.  It 
made  such  slow  progress,  not  being  able  to  pass  the  army 
trains,  that  it  had  not  reached  Durham  at  sunset  Thurs- 
day night.  It  was  then  too  late  to  risk  escape  by  the 
wagons.  Raleigh  was  occupied  Thursday  morning  and 
Thursday  night  the  advance  of  the  enemy  was  at  Morris- 
ville  and  its  Depot  fired  by  our  rear-guard.  I  then  moved 
here,  and  after  waiting  till  4  o'clock,  P.  M.  on  Friday  and 
the  wagons  not  coming  up,  moved  on  to  Greensboro. 

On  Tuesday  before  the  capture  of  Raleigh  Gov.  Swain 
^.ame  to  Raleigh,  and  it  being  understood  that  Lee  with 
his  army  had  surrendered.  Gov.  Swain  urged  upon  Guv. 
Vance  that  further  resistance  was  vain  and  that  he  ought 
to  ask  Sherman  to  suspend  hostilities  under  a  promise 
that  he  would  call  the  General  Assembly  and  recommend 
a  restoration  of  the  Union.  The  Gov,  asked  Gov.  Graham 
by  Telegram  to  go  down  for  consultation.  He  arrived 
in  Raleigh  at  midnight.  Gov.  G.  and  Gov.  S.  who  had 
previously  agreed  on  this  plan  urged  it  upon  Gov.  V.  I 
was  posted  as  to  all  this  on  Tuesday  night.  On  Wednes- 
day morning,  I  saw  Gov.  V.  alone.  He  told  me  he  could 
not   concur   in    their   plans — I     suggested    to   him     then 


1  Received  too  late  to  l)e  inserted  in  proper  chronological  order. 


CORRESPOXDENCE    OF    JONATIIA.X     \\'(JUTil.  1289 

wbelhci'  be  could  not  send  Gov.  S.  and  Gov.  G.  iindcr  a 
flag  of  truce  to  ask  protection  for  the  Capitol  and  a  sus- 
pension of  hostilities  with  the  view  to  a  general  pacifica- 
tion. Gov.  G.  came  in  soon  after,  intending  to  leave  for 
home  bv  the  next  train.  Gov.  V.  asked  him  if  he  would 
consent  to  go.  He  said  being  a  member  of  Congress,  he 
doubted  whether  the  enemy  would  not  hold  him  a  pris- 
oner— that  he  had  left  home  suddenly  and  ought  to  return 
home  to  provide  for  the  approach  of  the  army.  I  urged 
upon  him  that  he  alone  could  save  the  Capitol  from 
pillage  perhaps  from  destruction — and  that  be  ought  to 
incur  the  hazard  and  inconvenience.  At  this  stage  my 
duties  compelled  me  to  withdraw  from  the  conference. 
Gov.  G.  and  S.  were  soon  after  dispatched  with  a  flag 
of  truce  and  special  train,  but  without  any  permit  to  pass 
our  lines. ^  On  reaching  Genl.  Hampton  commanding  the 
rear  guard,  he  would  not  allow  them  to  pass  his  lines, 
until  he  could  hear  from  Genl.  Johnson  who  was  then, 
as  I  understand,  in  conference  with  Prest.  Davis  at 
Greensboro.  The  President  refused  to  let  them  pass.  In 
the  meantime  the  rapid  advance  of  the  enemy  caused  a 
change  of  the  picket  lines  by  which  they  fell  within  the 
lines  of  the  enemy  and  Ivijpatrick  captured  them  and 
claimed  them  as  prisoners  of  war.  They  were  carried 
to  Genl.  Sherman's  headquarters  who  received  them 
courteously — decided  that  having  entered  his  lines  in 
good  faith  they  should  return  in  good  faith.  He  refused 
to  suspend  his  march  after  the  Confederate  Army  Init 
gave  assurance  in  writing  of  protection  to  the  city  and 
all  State  officers  and  State  property  and  allowed  the  Gov- 
ernor and  all  the  State  officers  to  return  and  remain  un- 
molested in  their  offices,  with  all  the  State  papers,  re- 
straining us  not  to  2;o  more  than  12  miles  from  the  City. 


1  This  is  a  mistake.  The  commissioners  had  gone  with  Jolmston's 
approval  and  with  a  pass  from  General  Hardee.  For  a  full  aeeonnt 
see  Spenoer,  Last  Ninety  Days  of  the  War.  pp.  142-4:  Hamilton.  /»''- 
construction  in  North  Carolina,  pp.  91-4. 


1290  XoKTii   Cakolixa  IIistokical  Commission. 

Cidv.  \'.  rciiarded  this  as  a  sort  of  prison  bounds,  as  to 
liiiu,  and  would  not  have  accepted  the  privilege,  and  the 
Confederate  authorities  would  not,  and  will  not  to  this 
time  allow  us  to  return. 

On  last  Friday  week,  the  advance  of  the  enemy  being 
near  Hillsboro  and  Genl.  Johnson's  at  Greensboro,  the 
enemy  having  previously  ea])tui'ed  Salisbury  and  burned 
up  vast  stores  there  belonging  to  the  Confederacy  and 
the  State,  including  all  our  State  clothing — also  High 
Point  and  Salem,- — the  Prest.,  with  a  guard  of  300 
cavalry  left  Greensboro.  About  the  same  time  a  flag  of 
truce  passed  between  the  armies,  and  Genl.  Johnson  went 
down  and  met  Sherman.  An  armistice,  applying  to  all 
the  troops  this  side  of  the  Mississippi  was  agreed  upon 
and  it  is  understood  that  terms  of  peace  have  been  agreed 
u})on.  Rumor  says  these  terms  are  generous  towards  us 
and  are  awaiting  ratification.  The  army  would  have 
rapidly  melted  away  but  for  the  hope  of  an  honorable 
discharge.  The  war  is  at  an  end  whether  the  terms  are 
ratified  or  not.  The  vast  supplies  along  the  R.  R.  are 
destroyed,  wasted  and  consumed  and  our  troops  supplied 
by  foraging  parties. 

I  have  no  doubt  that  my  family  and  property  at  Ra- 
leigh is  all  safe — but  fear  I  have  lost  my  teams,  wheat 
at  Pittsboro,  and  cotton  in  Anson. 

I  have  been  suftering  from  a  bilious  diarrhoea — am 
much  improved  but  not  well — and  awfully  worried  at 
being  senselessly  detained  here  by  our  own  authorities. 
The  bridge  at  Jamestown  is  burned, — also  the  University 
bridge  near  Hillsboro,  and  the  bridge  over  the  Catawba, 
the  former  by  Stoneman,  the  two  latter  by  our  troops, 
and  nothing  being  done  to  repair  them  for  want  of  la- 
borers. 

It  is  unl^no^\^l  here  where  Davis  is — or  whither  he  has 
gone.  We  have  rumors  that  he  has  returned  to  Greens- 
boro.     Fears  are  entertained  that  the  assassination  of  Lin- 


COKKESPOXDEXCE    Oi'    JoXATIIAN     Woimi. 

coin  will  prevent  the  ratification  of  a  treaty  favorable  to 
ns — It  was  a  criminal  and  unwise  act. 

Arch,  Graham,  son  of  Archd.  Graham  near  yonr  place, 
is  here,  well  and  sound.     Report  this  to  his  father. 

Tell  David  Anderson  that  Mr.  Wiley^  is  with  me  and 
well  but  awfully  homesick. 

John'  called  at  my  house  as  the  army  passed  Raleigh. 
I  did  not  see  him.     The  family  reported  him  well. 

I  saw  Alex  McAlister  at  Greensboro  last  Saturday — 
well  and  sound.  Bina;ham^  was  captured  with  Lee's 
army,  well  and  on  his  way  home  on  parole. 

I  wish  you  to  get  this  letter  to  David  and  Roxana. 

Having  leisure,  I  have  given  you  a  long  narrative.  Pos- 
sibly many  of  its  facts  may  be  already  known  to  you. 

Lee's  returned  men  will  have  given  you  the  particulars 
as  to  his  surrender.  Grant  behaved  nobly.  He  refused 
to  receive  Lee's  sword  or  his  j^arol — and  shed  tears  when 
Lee  tendered  his  sword. 

The  foregoing  embraces  all  the  reliable  facts  of  im- 
portance which  occur  to  me.  I  will  not  relate  the  rumors 
on  every  breeze. 

Johnson's  retreat  from  Smithfield  to  Greensboro  was 
evidently  made  with  the  view  of  forming  a  juncture  with 
Lee,  and  hence  he  made  no  halt  at  defensible  points.  It 
was  conducted  with  his  usual  skill — and  his  men  in  gdod 
spirits  and  ready  at  his  command  to  go  into  the  light. 

Our  Cavalry  are  apparently  without  discipline — the 
terror  of  everybody  as  far  as  I  can  hear,  who  has  a  horse 
or  a  mule  within  twenty  miles  of  the  line  of  march. 

Either  peace  must  result  very  soon  from  the  present 
armistice — or  a  resumption  of  hostilities.  In  either  event 
we  ought  to  accept  at  once  the  permission  to  put  our  State 
archives  in  the  Capitol.  I  can  conceive  of  no  one  so  ob- 
stinate  and  reckless   as  to   refuse   the   privilege  to  us  to 


1  Philip  A.  Wiley,  his  chief  clerk. 

2  John  Worth,  a  son  of  Joseph  A.  Worth. 

3  Robert  Bingham. 


XoKTiL  Cakolixa  Historical  Commission. 

return  them  except  Davis.  Gov.  V.,  who  is  at  Greens- 
boro, sends  me  a  telegram  that  Genl.  Johnson  refuses  to 
let  us  pass  the  lines.  I  presume  he  acts  under  orders 
fi'oni  Davis  and  hence  infer  that  he  is  still  in  this  State. 
If  he  is  the  ruling  spirit,  I  expect  no  peace  except  bv 
the  dissolution  of  the  arm}'  and  the  ruin  of  what  little  is 
left  us  worth  preserving; — Gov.  V.  however  in  the  same 
telegram  says,  "Settlement  soon  expected." 
Fayetteville. 


To  Mrs.  Roxana  McNeill^ 

Eaeeigpi  Feb.  12/6S. 
******  * 

At  present  my  removal  from  office  is  less  threatening 
than  it  has  seemed  to  be  for  the  last  two  months.  The 
news  is  that  Ala.  had  defeated  the  Radical  Constitution. 
The  political  aspect,  excepting  Congress  which  daily  be- 
comes more  savage,  is  rapidly  growing  better.  The  future 
is  still  dark,  but  less  so  than  it  has  been.  I  can't  go  into 
details. 

P.  S.  General  Canby  and  Staff  arrived  here.  They 
immediately  made  a  complimentary  call  on  me.  He 
seems  very  courteous.  My  late  correspondence,  I  have 
reason  to  think,  has  extorted  from  him  more  respect  than 
he  has  been  exhibiting  heretofore. 


1  Received  too  late  to  be  inseitcd  in  proper  chronological  order. 


INDEX. 


A. 


Abernathy,  Robert  L.,  letter  to,  089. 
Abolitionists  in  North  Carolina,  110-113, 

115. 
Adams,  J.  Q.,  1226. 
Adams,   N.  N.,  754. 
Adams,  Peter,  1114;   letter  to,  848. 
"Advance,"  operations  of,  266,  270,  274-9, 

324,   440. 
Alamance    county,    44-47,    102-4,    108-10, 

114,   117-8,    120-3. 
Albright,  William  A.,  letter  to,  461. 
Alderman,  William,  623. 
Aiken,  Captain,  1269. 

Allen,    ,   1170. 

Allen,  Daniel,  229. 

Allen,  William  A.,  letter  to,  719. 

Allison,  Lieutenant,  945-6. 

Allspaugh,    J.    W.,    822-3;    letter    from, 

823 ;  letters  to,  692,  1084. 
Alston,  M.  A.,  letter  from,  190. 
Alston,   Mollie,   letter   to,   693. 
Anderson,  David,  1291. 
Anderson,  William  W.,  481. 
Anderson,  Lieutenant,   241. 
Andrews,  J.  P.,  letter  to,  1226. 
Andrews,  Leigh  D.,  letters  to,   160,   162, 

183. 
Arendell,  B.,  695-6. 
ArendelL,  M.   F.,   674,   701-2,   818;    letter 

to,  682. 
Arendell,  T.,  696,  703. 
Arendell,  William  L.,  674,  687. 
Argo,  T.  M.,  1241-2. 
Arnold,  Paul,   173;  letter  to,  184. 
Arnold,  Pennell,  742. 
Arrington,  A.  H.,  430,  662,  667,  677,  752, 

841,  926,  977-8,  981. 
Arrington,  Dr.,  842. 
Ashe,    Thomas    S.,    248,    841;    letters   to, 

1018,   1110,  1174-6. 
Ashley,   ,  120-1. 


Ashley,  S.  S.,   1225;    letter  to,   1231. 
Ashvvorth,  Joel,   344,  565,  742,  815. 
Askew,  Benjamin,  letter  from,  1009. 
Atkins,  Captain,   1093. 

Atwell,    ,  024. 

Avery,  General,  903,  972,  974,  1088, 

1129,  1183. 
Avery,  W.  W.,  101,  125. 

B. 

Badger,  George  E.,  218-9. 

Badger,  R.  C,  519,   1207. 

Bagley,  William  H.,  288,  335,  467,  532, 
554,  557,  502,  573-4,  674,  687,  755, 
910,  1047,  1128,  1134,  1147,  1217, 
1226,  1231,  1265,  1270;  letters  from, 
459,  530,  534,  687,  698,  747,  757, 
847,  904,  906,  916-7,  927,  929-33,  935, 
985,   1091,   1285;   letter  to,  1254. 

Bain,  J.  C,  letters  to,  595    686. 

Bainum,  G.  W.,  letters  tc     113,  115. 

Baker,  Daniel  B.,  1018,  1111. 

Baker,  John  W.,  Jr.,  623. 

Ball,  Mrs.  Isham,  508. 

Ball,  Robert,  921,  933. 

Banner,  Salisbury',  78,  80,  85. 

Banson,  Daniel,  274. 

Barnes,  David  A.,  304,  319,  320,  519, 
845,  992,  1083. 

Barnes,  Simon,  letter  to,  1045. 

Barringer,  D.  M.,  581-2,  937,  951,  959, 
965-6,  968;  letter  from,  578;  letter 
to  935. 

Barringer,  Victor  C,  98n,  101;  letter 
to,  98. 

Bason,  J.  L.,  letter  to,  388. 

Batcheior,  Joseph  B.,  125. 

Battle,  K.  P.,  468,  504,  709,  790,  900-1, 
985,  1196,  1275-1276;  letter  from, 
749;   letters  to,  487,    1140. 

Battle,  Richard  H.,  790 ;  letter  from,  200. 

Battle,  William  H.,  300,  007,  1003,  1019. 
1040. 


Index. 


Baxter,  John,  531,  533:    letters  to,   503, 

511,  1008,  1220. 
Beasley,  J.  R.,  332. 
Beauregard,  P.  T.,  301. 
Beekerdite,  D.  B.,  letter  to,  259. 
Beckerdite,  K.,  letter  to,  506. 

Beebe,   ,  1056-7,  1097,  1182-3. 

Bell,  E.  L.,  818. 

Belo,   ,  646-7. 

Beiibow,  D.  W.  C,  letter  to,  461. 

Bennett, ,  945-6. 

Benton,  Thomas  H.,  1228. 

Berry,  Colonel,  885,  889;   letter  to,   889. 

Berry,  Job,  letter  from,  1209. 

Berry,  John,  335,  519,  559,  646-7,  652-3, 

669,  722,  737,  1164;  letter  to,  915. 
Berry,  Marcellus  P.,  1210. 
Berry,  Thomas,  letter  from,  200. 
Best,  R.  W.,  810,  812,  1066,   1133,   1147, 

1175;   letter  from,  749. 
Bibb,  William  W.,  842,  845. 
Billings,  B.  L.,  769. 
Biggs,  Asa,  498,  927;   letter  to,  593. 
Biggs,  William,  letter  to,  879. 
Bingham,    Robert,    330;    letters    to,    330, 

598,  1291. 
Black,  George,  323,  565,  815. 
Black,  J.  S.,  922-3. 
Black,  William,  573. 
Blackmer,  Luke,  619;  letters  to,  119,  941, 

973. 
Blair,  B.  F.,  letter  to,   194. 
Blair,  E.  T.,  742,  815. 
Blair,  F.  P.,  1226,  1238. 
Blair,  Montgomery,  letter  to,  1242. 
Blalock,  William,  726. 
Blankard,  Mrs.  J.  J.,  letter  to,  567. 

Blount ,  508. 

Blount,    Ira   G.,   219. 
Blount,  Thomas,  219. 
Blount,  William,  219. 
Blythe,  James,  892. 

Boardman,   ,  917. 

Boddie,  William,  743. 

Bolemins,  A.  W.,  1059. 

Bomford,    James    V.,    847,    889-90,    901, 

904,  916,  918,  922,  927-9,  930-3,  960, 


966,    974,    100.3,    1046-7,    1093,    1107, 

1269,  1281;  letters  to,  804,  916,  985, 

1175,  1189. 

Bond ,  640,  G44,  722. 

Boner,  Joshua,  letter  from,   1076;   letters 

to,  281,  1078. 
Boyd,  John,  726. 
Boyden,    Nathaniel,    323,    560,    568,    649, 

652-3,   669,   672,   683,   732,   737,   764, 

770,   812,   892-3,   986,   990-1,    1273-4: 

letters   to,    609,   847,   876,    885,    991, 

1193. 
Boyden,  Spencer,  242-3. 
Bragg,  Braxton,  333,  336,  366. 
Bragg,  Thomas,  327,  521,  556,   751,  812, 

849,  1010;  letter  to,  48. 
Branch,  Thomas,  &  Sons,  letters  to,  444, 

464. 
Bridgers,   Robert  R.,    125,  430,    550,   569, 

593,   661-2,   667,   677,   752,   841,   926, 

977-8 ;  letter  from,  748. 
Bright,  Edward,  letters  to,  886,  889. 
Broadfoot,  W.  G.,  331. 
Brogden,  Curtis  H.,  350,  352,  522. 
Brooks,   George  W.,   473,   479,   562,   620, 

640,  773-4,  983,  1127,  1223;  letter  to, 

606. 
Brookshire,  W.  F.,  letter  to,  328. 
Brown,  Alf.,  383;  letter  to,  248. 
Brown,  Bedford,  124,  466,  489,  848,  858-9, 

863,     1125,     1253:     letters    to,     492, 

864-5. 
Brown,  Cato,  357. 
Brown,  Darling,  905. 
Brown,  I.  H.,  letter  from,  345. 
Brown,  Jo.  L.,  letter  to,  329. 
Brown,  John,  82,  99. 
Brown,  John  L.,  letter  to,  445. 
Brown,  William,  letter  to,  298. 
Browne,  Washington,  686. 
Brownlow,  Ella,  letter  to,  693. 
Brownlow,,  W.  G.,  525,  1233. 
Broyles,  Isaac  M.,  letter  from,  234. 

Bruce ,   1177. 

Bryan,  James  A.,  letter  to,  418. 

Bryan,  John  H.,   1010. 

Brvan,  William  H.,  letter  to,  698. 


l.XDPJX. 


1295 


Bryns,  Andrew,  19(i. 

Biyson,    Thadeus    D.,    819,     852;     letter 

from,  807;  letter  to,  81G. 
Buchanan,  James,   125,   127. 
Buchanan,  William  B.,  letter  to,  551. 
Buie,  Miss  M.  A.,  letter  to,  850. 
Bulla,  J.  R.,  letter  to,   964. 
Bulla,  James,  179,  183,  187. 
BiiUefin,  Charlotte,   189. 
Bulimy,  Henry  C,  letter  to,  514. 
Bullock,  David  B.,  letter  to,  530. 
Bunting,  Samuel  R.,  letter  to,   1145. 
Burgwyn,  Henry  K.,  letter  to,  332. 
Burkhead,  S.  F.,  1193. 
Burley,  Thomas,  1125,  1276. 

Burney,   ,  190. 

Burns,  Andrew,  739. 

Busbee,    Perrin,    534-5,    553-4,    589,    599, 

671,  673-4,  687;    letter  to,   1270. 
Bush,   Sheriff,  565. 
Butler,   Thomas  A.,  531-3. 
Butner,  J.  A.,  letter  to,  717. 
Buxton,  Ralph  P.,   1003,   1224;   letter  to, 

1083. 
Bynum,     William     P.,    643,     692;     letter 

from,  725;   letters  to,  1011,   1018. 


Caldwell,  David  A.,  letter  from,  586. 

Caldwell,  David  F.,  75n,  425,  721,  742, 
756,  770,  772,  1114,  1125;  letters 
from,  471,  485,  711,  736,  799,  829, 
836;  letters  to,  75,  704,  708,  720, 
732,  768,  790,  847,  885,  947,  974,  976, 
1052,   1113,  1143. 

Caldwell,  Judge  David  F.,  101,  090,  743; 
letter  from,  618. 

Caldwell,  Tod  R.,  80n,  432,  435,  476,  560, 
569,  697;   letters  to,  80,  532. 

Caldwell,  W.  A.,  460. 

Caldwell,  W.  T.,  letter  from,  709. 

Calhoun,  John  C,  436. 

Calicotte,  Henry,  671. 

Calton ,  197. 

Cameron,  .John  W.,  573. 

Cameron,  Paul   C,  430. 


Campaign  of  1860,  102-4,  108-10,  114-6, 
120-3. 

Campaign  of  1864,  306-9,  317-8,  .321-.3, 
326,  601. 

Camjiaign  of  18G5,  442-50,  455,  56.5,  574, 
675,  765,   1212,   1243. 

Campaign  of  1866,  519,  538-9,  547,  555, 
563-4,  570,  575,  619,  622-3,  626,  630, 
638,  641,  644,  650,  663-7,  670,  675-6, 
682-3,  680-7,  689-90,  704-5,  707,  717, 
723,  739-44,  747-8,  753,  756,  702-8, 
770-2,  781-4,  787-92,  797-8,  804-5, 
807-8,  810-21,  823-4,  826,  839-40, 
1212. 

Campaign  of  1868  (State),  1161,  1105- 
71,  1173-6,  1184-5,  1210-7,  1221, 
1224-5,  1228. 

Campaign  of  1808,  ( National ),  1220, 
1238,    1240-3,    1247-8,    1259-00. 

Campbell,   Captain,   530-1. 

Canby,  E.  R.  S.,  1049,  1054-5,  1001,  1069- 
74,  1079-80,  1082,  1085-7,  1090-1, 
1095,  1098-9,  1101-2,  1107-15,  1117- 
23,  1128-31,  1135-0,  1139-43,  1149-50, 
1157,  1170-1,  1173-4,  1170-7,  1188-9, 
liy8-9,  li;02,  1207,  1221,  1224,  1220, 
1233,  1206-8,  1272,  1270-7,  1280:  let- 
ters to,  1075,  1082,  1091,  1124,  1146, 
1151,  1162,  1209,  1225,  1292. 

Cannon,  Josepli  D.,  824. 

Cannon,  Joseph  L.,  letter  from,  447. 

Cannon,   William,   815. 

Cantwell,   Edward,   letter   to.    114S. 

Carolinian,   Fayetteville,    707. 

Carpenter,  C.  H.,  460. 

Carr,  Colonel,  727. 

Carr,  Nicholas,  1050. 

Carr,  0.  W.,  letter  to,   177. 

Carroll,  Mrs.  M.  A.  T.,  letter  to,  (193. 

Case,  A.  H.,  651. 

Case,  Daniel,  597,  601-2. 

Cass,   Lewis,    127. 

Cawthorne,  W.  W.,  1003. 

Cawthorne,  John  B.   (or  V.),  461.  648. 

Chandler,  W.  S.,  672. 

Chapin,  A.  B.,   1125. 

Chaiijudl,  Horace  R.,  letter  to.  907. 


iJOO 


Index. 


(-'harluite  Dciinnrat,  275ii,  812,  8S2ii. 

Chase,  Salinon,  T.,  983. 

^''  ronirlc.  (  haileston,   viii. 

Chronicle,  Washington,  5G8,  85G,  10;}7. 

Chur,  Jacob  F.,  957. 

Cilley,  Clinton  A.,   ll.)8;   letters  to,  934, 

95-"),   1145,   1149. 
Clapp,  John  H.,  114. 

Clark ,  856. 

Clark,    C.   C,   494,   538,   541-3,    U84,    702, 

704,   1140;   letter  from,   662;   letters 

to,  653,  789,  806,  870,  1141. 
Clark,  Henry  T.,  466,  521,  558,  594,  927, 

1272;  letters  from,  944,  1038;  letters 

to,    65,    788,    939,    950,    1043,    1049, 

1072. 
Clark,  Jonathan,  1264. 
Clark,   Louisa,   1250. 
Clark,  William,   1250;    letter  from,  839; 

letters  to,  425,  969,  1062,  1095,  1154, 

1187,  1247,  1259. 
Clements,   L.   L.,   745;    letter   from,    731; 

letter  to,  744. 
Clingman,    Thomas    L.,    124-5,    498,    927, 

1274. 
Clemson,  W.  T.,  1237. 
Cobb,  David,  letter  to,  570. 
Coffee,  Austin,  726. 
Coffin,  Addison,  letter  to,  1222. 
Coffin,  Barney,  840,  987,  1096,  1250. 
Coffin,  J.   M.,    650,   652,   737,   986;    letter 

from,  619;    letters  to,  625,  669,  998, 

1074. 
Coffin,  Miriam,   1250. 
Coffin,  Stephen,  987,  992. 
Coffin,  Z.  S.,   1052. 
Cogdell,  Lewis,   1013,   1015. 
Cogswell,  Colonel,  847,   1107. 
Cohen,   S.  A.,  588. 
Cohoon,  J.  F.  P.  C,  letter  to,  459. 
Coleman,  D.,  037-8;   letter  from,  603. 
Coleman,  William  M.,  1225. 
Colgrove,  D.  D.,  1089. 
Colgrove,  O.  E.,  1089. 
Colston,  R.  E.,  letter  to,  755. 


Culton,  H.  E.,  letters  to,  93,  330. 

Coltrane,  David,   194-5. 

Coltrane,  Jesse,  194-5. 

Commercial,  New  Bern,  867,   871,   1131. 

Conigland,     Edward,     520-1;     letter     to, 

1224. 
Connor,  P.  J.,  letter  to,  546. 
Conscription,  187,  212-5,  225,  229-30,  239, 

246,  249,  251,  293,  298,  304,  309-10, 

320,  347. 
Conservative,  Ealeigh,  261-2. 
Convention  of  1861,  128,  437. 
Convention    of    1865-66,    372,    375,    395, 

413-4,   420,   425,    433,   445,   515,   532, 

570-1,  593,  600,  619,  626,  631-2,  63.5, 

644,  651,  749,  758,  760,  1091-2. 
Cook,  Levi,  352. 

Cooke,  0.  D.,  letters  to,  1044,  1048. 
Cooper,  Henderson,  959,  961,   1089. 
Cosby,  John,  659. 
Cotton,  Robert,  624. 
Cotton,  James,  382. 
Council,  Captain,  366. 
Cowan,    R.    H.,    722;     letters    to,     1112, 

1160. 
Cowles,  A.  C,  336,  353;   letters  to,  857, 

1251. 
Cowles,    Calvin    J.,    473,    513,    680,    812, 

826,  995-6,  998,  1002. 
Cowper,  Pulaski,  519,  558. 
Cox,  Charles,   194. 
Cox,  Jonathan,  1125. 
Cox,  Lindsay,  740. 
Cox,  Nere,  letter  from,  242. 
Cox,  Seth,  letter  from,  242. 
Cox,  William  R.,  707-8,  716-7,  742. 
Craig,  W.  F.,  letter  to,  570. 
Craige,  Burton,  752,  977. 
Crane,  John,   1125. 
Craven,  A.  J.,  489. 

Craven,  Braxton,  411;  letter  from,  976. 
Crawford,  J.  J.,  letter  to,  761. 
Cunningham,  John  W.,  329,  336,  520. 
Curtis,  C.  C,  letter  to,  460. 
Curtis,  Benjamin  R.,  921,  923,  930. 


\ 


Index. 


1297 


D. 


Daniel,    X.    G.,    8o3;     letter    fiom,    050; 

letter  to,  648. 
Daniels,  Susan  J.,  959. 
Dargan,    Atlas    J.,    573;    letters   to,    547, 

748. 
Davidson,  A.  T.,  282,  752. 

Davis,   ,  108. 

Davis,  Alexander  M.,  letter  to,  03(5. 
Davis,    D.    A.,    625,    646,    653,    737,    851; 

letter  to,  649. 
Davis,   George,    134,   281,   320,   549,    752, 

926. 
Davis,  Jefferson,  282,  300,  381,  575,  639, 

1152,  1289-90,  1292. 
Davif,  Robert,  974. 

Democrat,  Charlotte,  275n,  812,  SS2n. 
Dennis,  N.,  840. 
Denson,  C.  B.,  letter  to,  753. 

Duncan,    ,  696. 

Deserters,  230,  265,  285-6,  348-9,  351,  354, 

356-60,  362-3,  368-9. 
Destitution,  234,  290,  296,  567,  573,  578, 

581-2,    .586,    598,    636-7,    791-2,    851, 

886,    890,   901,    904-6,    916-9.   927-33, 

935,  951-2,  959,  965-7. 
Devereux,  John,  268,  440,  656. 
Deweese,  John  T.,  1173,  1177,  122.5,  1228, 

1240-2,  1258. 
Dewey,  Charles,  556,  1283-4. 
Dewey,  T.  W.,  851. 
Dibble,   C.    B.,   letters   to,    384,    454,    463, 

854,   1252. 
Dick,  John  M.,  letter  to,  57. 
Dick,  R.  P.,  112,  335,  425,  444,  521,  619, 

624,    641,   649,   666,   683,    685-6,   732, 

737,    741-2,    769-70,    789,    924,    1125, 

1198-9,    1201-2,    122.3,    1272;    letters 

to,  995,   1084-5. 

Dickey ,  600. 

Dickenson,  P.  R.,  646-7. 

Dill,  G.  W.,  696,  702;   letter  to,  423. 

DiN worth.   A.,   919. 

Dispatch,  Wilmington,  650,  707. 


Dockery,  Alfred,  638,   641,  650,  6S3,   764, 

78.3,    788-93,   796-8,   804-5,   807,    Sll, 

813-4,  817,  820-1,  823,  826,  839,  118S, 

1195,   1272. 
Dockery,  Oliver  H.,  252,  519. 
Dodge,  W.  C,  544. 
Donnell,  Richard  S.,  218-9,  432,  435,  532. 

683;   letter  to,  335. 
Doolittle,  John  R.,  letter  to,   1197. 
Dorsett,  Robert,  201. 
Doitch,    William   T.,   208,    6(i7,   677,    752, 

841,  926,  978,  981;  letteis  fnmi,  771, 

1244,    1245. 
Doughty,  W.  T.,  818. 
Douglas,  B.,  &  Co.,  letter  to,  49. 
Dowd,  H.  A.,  301. 
Dowd,  W.  C,  341,  1007,   1162. 
Drake,  E.  B.,  letter  from,  82(i ;  letters  to, 

809,  1277,  1279,  1283. 
Drake,  F.  M.  A.,  letter  from,   12S4. 

Drane,    ,  842. 

Draugham,    ,  260. 

Duekett,  James  L.,  1004. 

Dudley, ,  1201. 

Duncan,  Navaro  &  Co.,  letter  to,  851. 
Dunn,  Jones,  839. 
Durham,  Plato,  letter  to,  957. 
Durham,  W.  C,  707. 

E. 

Earle,   Henry   IM.,    letter  to,   821. 
Eaton,     William,     877,     922;     letter     to; 

1115. 
Eckert,  Thomas  L.,  553;  letter  to,  534. 
Ednnmdson,  William  B.,  624. 
Education,  47-8,  53-4,  389,  407,  411,   414, 

420,    512,    833-5,    1007,     lOSl.     110s. 

1146-7,  1231. 
Edwards,  L.  C,  letter  to,  525. 
Edwards,  Weldon  N.,  516,  521,  550,  752, 

1253. 
Egerst:me,  James  A.,  letter  to, 
Egerton,  Mrs.  A.  D.,  57S. 
Eldridge,    Charles    A.,    letters    to.     1151. 

1221. 


41 


120S 


Txi;kx. 


Elliott,  11.   i;.,   h'ttiMs  to.    l.-).-],    l.-)!). 
Ellis,  John  \\.,  5Sii,    11.-),  r)(i.S-4,  7!)S. 
Emery,  Charles,   ()72-3. 
Emmons,  Ebenezer,  517,  54(i,  olilJ ;   let'er 

to,     1()(). 

Emmons,  Mrs.   El)encz('r.   letter   t",   .Ki.S. 
Englehard,  J.   A.,    lOf)!),    1-273;    letter   to, 

877. 
Enjjlehard  &  Priee,   12(i7,  1271,  1275. 
Erwiii,   Marcus,    12o-(). 
Estes,  L.  (;.,  460,  40(5,  4<;9-7(),  472,  477-8, 

481,  484. 
Eure,  Mills  L..  850:  letter  to,  088. 
Everett,  Edward,  151. 
Everett,  James  H.,  letter  to,  5ti2. 


F. 


Fairelotli,  William  T.,  447,  1170:  letters 
to,  072,  807,   1013,   1132. 

Farlow,  Sewell,  772. 

Faueett,  Che-ley  F.,  105,  108,  118:  let- 
ters to,   101,   115,   121-2. 

Fayetteville  Obscrier.  79-80,  82,  84,  187, 
253,  292. 

Federal  appointments,  4C0-2,  464-fi,  4G8- 
70,  472-3,  477-81,  484,  500,  572,  620, 
627,  629,  631-4,  641,  644,  647-8,  650-1, 
653-5,  660,  602,  607-9,  684-5,  691, 
732-5,  744,  757,  760-1,  763,  1258, 
1287. 

Federal  taxes,  489-91,  494,  500-1,  506-7, 
719-20,  827,  805,    1070-8. 

Federal  troops,  208-9,  308-10,  450,  483. 

Ferebee,  Dennis  D.,  519,  550,  619,  026, 
685,  744,  773-4,  1019,  1127;  letter 
lo,  6f)7. 

Fessenden,  William  P.,  409-70,  1204:  let- 
ter to,   1210. 

Finances,  State,  233-0,  275-9,  294,  302-3, 
334-5,  337-8,  383-6,  388,  392,  394-0, 
398-400,  404-5,  408-9,  414,  419-24, 
427-8,  440,  448,  471-2,  485-6,  512, 
524-5,  594-5,  622,  758,  765-0,  822, 
884-5,  1005-0,  1263-4. 

Finley,    ,  737. 

Fisher,  Charles,  letter  from,  35. 


Fisher,    Charles    F.,    Oln,    lOl,    110,    119, 

121,   123,   712:    letter  to,  92. 
Fisher     <|uairel,      01-Sl,      S5-102,      104-7, 

118-!). 

Planner,    ,  240,  412,  44(1-1. 

Foard,  O.  G.,  046-7. 

Fo^lemaii,  John,  218. 

Folk,    T.,    3liO. 

Foster,  A.   C,  52n,    108,    170:    letters  t  >, 

56,  114,  117,  122,  153,  150,  159,   167, 

173,  247,  282,  336,  564. 
Foster,  H.  H.,  letter  from,  957. 
Foster,    James    P.,    629,    631,    633,    (i3!l, 

763;   letters  to,  608,  757,  700. 
Foster,  Major,  968. 
Fourteenth    Amendment,    607,    645,    on.i,. 

764,  707,  779,  784,  788-92,  795-S,  80], 

804-7,  813-5,  817,  820,  824,  900,  101i7. 

1075,      1170-1,      1184,      1190,       1199. 

1200-1,  1241. 
Foust,  Isaac  H.,  74n,  108-9,  115,  158,  174, 

292-3,    361n;    letter   from,    217:    let- 
ters to,  74,  188. 
1^'oust,  Mrs.  Isaac  H.,  302. 
Foust,  J.  Henry,  letter  from,  1238. 
Foust,  Peter,  221. 
Foust,  Thomas,    109. 
Foust,  W.  H.,   letter  from,  343. 
Fowle,    Daniel    G.,    218,    330,    482-3,    098. 

823,   845,   1003,   1083,   llM-d,    1 1 1 S-O. 

1123,    1120,    1139,    1141,    1145,    1150. 

1158:     letter    from,    483:     letter    to. 

251. 
Foy,  William,  letter  to,  4S7. 
Francks,  Maria,  80G;   letter  from,  207. 
Freedmen's   Bureau,   467,   480,   482,   503, 

509,    533-4,   540,    549,   617,   035,   (>37. 

651,  685,  745-6,  777-8,  832,  849.  89(1, 

901,  922,  932-3,  941-3,  954,  972,  1005. 

1047,    1059,    1066,    1094,    1177,    1202. 

1213,   1281,  1287. 
Freeman,   Daniel,  letters  to,  905,  929. 
Fiemont,  S.   L.,   842-3,   9,:0:    letter   fioiu. 

579:   letter  to,  580. 
French,  John  E.,  1213,  1225,  1228, 
French,  K.  S.,   832:   letter  to,  393. 
Fi  irnd<,  see  Quakers. 


IXDEX. 


1l>:!I) 


Friends'  Revieic.  523. 

Fries,  William  F.,  670;   letter  to,  71. 

Froneberger, ,  744. 

Fry,  James  H.,  595. 

Fuller,  F.  A.,  629,  633,  639,  641,  044, 
047-8,  654,  600,  068,  733,  763:  letter 
to,  651. 

Fuller,  Thomas  C,  485,  489,  1050;  let- 
ters to,  494,  734,  972. 

Fuller,  William  P.,  404. 

Furr,  John,  573. 

Futrel,  Julia  A.,  857-8. 

Futrel,  Thomas,  857. 


G. 


Gahagan,  George  W.,  037,  004. 

Gaither,  Burgess  S.,  752,   841,  92(;,   977: 

letter  from,  476;  letters  to,  4()5,  954. 
Gales,  Seaton,  525;  letter  to,  994. 
Gardner,  Stephen  B.,  letter  from,  31. 
Garner,  Fred.,  223;  letter  to,  083. 
Gash,   L.   S.,   597-8,   638;    letters   to,   590, 

680. 
Gatlin,  R.  C,  348-9,  375. 
Gatlin,  R.  M.,  239. 
Gee,  John  H.,  642. 
Gibb§,  J.  J.,  975. 
Gibson,   E.  M.,   letter  from,    1037:    l-tter 

to,  1040. 
Gib^^on,  George,   1037. 
Gilbert,  L.  W.,  letter  to,  851. 
Giles,  James  F.,  letter  to,   1053. 
Gilliam,  Robert  B.,  833,  1003,  1074,  10S3: 

letter  from,  844;   letter  to,    1034. 
Gilliam,  Thomas  H.,  letter  to,   1090. 
Gilmer,    John    A.,    374,    430,    519,    040-7. 

052-3,   009,   723,   732,   737,   742,   75;i, 

704,   768,   770,   800,   848,   858-9,   802, 

864,    1114,    1124;    letter    from,    049: 

letters  to,  55,  06,  559,  700,  772,  777, 

863,  891,  1085,  1087. 
Gilmer,  John  A.,  Jr.,  075,  083,  704,  71  1, 

739,  847,  1114:  letters  to,  527,  534. 
Glenn,   S.   B.,   974. 
Goddard,  Frank  B.,  letter  to,   1227. 
Gordon,  O.  C,  241. 


(ionrll,  Kalph,  94S,  973,  1125:  letter  to, 
1  I  1  3. 

Goodloe,  Daniel  !!.,  ^73,  179,  !I24,  990, 
998,  1137,  1143,  HOC,  1200:  letters 
to,  405,    I  1911. 

Goodrich,  .FcjIiii,  Idtii    iKnii,  993. 

Graham,  Areliibald,   1291. 

Graham,  William  A.,  143,  151,  253,  314, 
331,  373,  381,  4.30,  401,  485,  493-4, 
509,  514,  519,  523,  548,  557,  5(;5, 
569,  580,  594,  653,  662,  600-7,  677-8, 
688,  715,  752,  756,  704-5,  708,  770, 
841,  862,  869,  898,  908-0,  921,  926, 
977,  995-6,  999-1000,  1019,  1140, 
1101-3,  1223,  1241.  1201:  letteis 
from,  200,  481  :  letters  to,  190,  309, 
407,  581,  848,  802,  1010,  1060,  1128, 
1105,  1171,  1222,  1258,  1288-9. 

Grant,  U.  S.,  3S1.  097,  710,  717,  7?<l 
1006,  1090,  1101-2,  1113,  1122,  1!;51), 
1141,  1248-9,  1253-1,  12.';8-!;i,  1208, 
1277,  1291. 

Graves,  Calvin,  letter  to,  234. 

Gray,  Robert,  157,  173-4:  letter  to,  154. 

Gray,  Robert   T.,   04. 

Grayson,  William,  220. 

Green,   George  009. 

Greensboro  Patriot.  (i2ii,  70,  78-80,  85. 
95,  99,  101,  104.  118,  472,  809:  let- 
ter to,  774. 

Grier,  E.  C,  329. 

Griffin,    1115,  1119. 

Gvitfin,   G.  M..   leliei-   to.    I(i:!.-.. 

Griffith,  Jes'^e  C,   1050.    1102.    12()8. 

Griffith,  Louis  P.,  letter  to.  512. 

Civissnm,  Eugene,  330:  letter  to, "043. 

Guien,   B.   S.,   lett-r  to.  035. 

(hvon.  H.   W..    I'iO:    letter  to.  235. 

G,v\nn.  Walter.   lOiO.   1133.   1147. 

11. 

Hackney,  Daniel,  letter  fidui.  201. 

Haigh,  Charles  T.,  585. 

Haigh,   Charles    K.,   590. 

Hale,    Edward    -I..    370.    521:    letters    to. 

82,  95,    100,    100,    157.    190.   243.   500, 

1040. 


1300 


Ixi 


Hale,  Sarah,  ^,29. 

Haley,  A.  C,  letter  to,   1000. 

Hall,  Edward  D.,   1038. 

Hall,  E.  W.,   125. 

Hamlin,  Jack,  189. 

Hamlin,  .1.  J.,  letter  to,  325. 

Hamlin,  J.  M.,  letter  to,  907. 

Hampton ,   973. 

Hampton,  Wade,  1289. 
Hancock,  John  R.,  443. 
Hanes,  Lewis,  249n,  426,  493,   5()5,   lUM, 

675-6,  682,  864,  892-3,  1168:   letters 

from,  353,  627;   letters  to,  480,  533, 

573,  647,  669,  685,  863,  885,  1265. 
Hanner,   Eli  A.,   194. 
Harden,  P.  R.,  letters  to,  444,  449. 
Hargrave,  Alf.,  926. 
Hargrove,  J.  R.,  269. 
Harkness,  William   B.,  letter  to,   1016. 
Harper,  J.  C,   1234. 
Harris,  C.  L.,  1003,  1173,  1177. 
HaiTis,  David,  945. 
Harris,  H.  J.,  letters  to,  940,  1205. 
Harris,  James  H.,  924,  945. 
Harris,    Jonathan,     202,    425,    652,    654, 

756,  760,  767,  769,  776,  815,  1125. 
Harris,  Richard,  336,  428. 
Harris,  Samuel  A.,  letter  to,  849. 
Harris,   Washington,  335. 

Harrison,    ,  454,  491. 

Hathaway,  J.  L.,  415,  447;  letter  to,  399. 
Haughton,  John  W.,  letter  to,   1073. 
Haughton,     William,     53!),     1140,      1143, 

1188. 
Hawkins,  W.  J.,  569,  93S. 
Hawks,  Francis  L.,  letter  to,  407. 
Hay,    James,    letter   to,    828. 
Haywood,  E.  Burke,  556;  letter  to,  239. 
Hearne,   W.  A.,  letters  to,   879,   888. 
Heartt,  Dennis,  letter  to,   1173. 
Heath,  R.  R.,  letters  to,   521,  524. 
Heaton,    David,    427,     1208,    1213,    1225, 

1228;    letter    from,    647:    letters    to, 

1137,   1150. 
Heck,  Mrs.  J.  M.,  letter  to,  693. 
Hedrick,    Benjamin    S.,    446-7,    461,    465, 

515,   562,  582,   587-8,   632,   757,    924, 


996,  1017,  1036,  1099,  1114,  1124. 
1186,  1212,  1220:  letters  from,  46(i, 
468,  470,  472,  479,  483,  487,  599. 
602,  606,  620,  624-5,  638,  644,  648. 
660,  673-4,  687,  690,  718,  730,  743, 
754,  781,  845,  894,  898,  900-1,  938, 
992,  1002,  1006,  1019,  1081;  letters 
to,  433,  477,  491,  497,  505,  536,  543, 
550,  553,  559,  566,  568,  576,  584, 
589,  619,  628,  641,  654,  665,  671, 
682,  693,  709,  731,  752,  769,  77S, 
785,  804,  815,  822-3,  841,  857,  860, 
891,  899,  907,  981,  984-5,  996-7,  1000, 
1042,  1120,  1156,  1161,  1177,  1190, 
1194,   1200,  1203,  1207,   1217. 

Hedrick,  John  A.,  639. 

Helper,  H.  H.,  469,  481,  942,  1123-4, 
1166;  letters  to,  940,  982. 

Helsebeck,  S.  H.,  529-30;   letter  to,  531. 

Henderson,  Leonard,  219. 

Henderson,  C.  C,  letter  to,   585. 

Henley,  Hiram,  229. 

Hennys,  Smith  &  Townsend,  letter  to,  99. 

Henry,  P.  T.,  letter  from,  1002:  letter  t-i, 
1004. 

Henry,  R.  M.,  637-8,  763,  765,  775. 

Henshaw,  Jesse  G.,  1282 ;  letters  to,  245, 
256-7. 

Hepburn,  A.  D.,  361. 

Herald,  New  York,  772,  783,  793,   112;i. 

Hiatt,  Nathan,   1125,   1177. 

Higgins,  B.,  letter  from,  1020:  letter  to, 
1053. 

Hildesheimer,   J.,   413,   418. 

Hill,    ,    197. 

Hill,  A.  B.,  letter  to,  455. 

Hill,   Captain,    184. 

Hill,  0.  H.,  826. 

Hill,  Riley,  letter  from,  204. 

Hill,  John,   344. 

Hill,   Samuel  P.,   1125. 

Hill,  Samuel  W.,  204. 

Hill,  William,  888,   1100. 

Hines,    ,   951. 

Hinks,  J.  W.  &  Co.,  letter  to,  824. 

Hinshaw,    William    B.,    840. 

Hinton,   Jo-^eph   D.,   218. 


I 


Index. 


i:;oi 


Hodge,  Captain,  734. 

Hogan,  John,  1173,  1177. 

Hogg,  Thomas  D.,  519,  ()52-3,  055,  7(14, 
824. 

Hoke,  John  F.,   125,   152,  252. 

Hoke,  Robert  F.,  300. 

Hoklen,  Joseph  W.,  793,  798,  1282. 

Holden,  William  W.,  53,  125,  196,  218-20 
245,  249,  251,  253-8,  261-3,  265,  282 
299,  303,  306-10,  317-8,  321-3,  320,  353 
390,  407,  430,  432-5,  441-3,  447-50 
453,  455-6,  405-6,  409-70,  472-3,  470 
478,  484,  488,  491-5,  498,  513,  515-0 
520-2,  525-6,  536,  538,  543,  547 
550-1,  553,  555-7,  559,  561,  569,  572 
574-5,  585,  588-90,  593-5,  003,  605 
607-8,  622,  624-0,  029,  031-2,  038-42 
649,  600-1,  003-4,  060,  669,  670-1 
674-5,  678,  680,  683,  686,  696-7,  701 
703,  705,  707-8,  713-4,  733,  737,  740 
742,  744,  748-9,  751,  753-4,  759,  765 
772,  783,  785,  788-93,  797-8,  805,  809 
14,  816-7,  822-3,  845-6,  859,  802 
865-0,  876,  894,  890,  900-2,  913 
924-5,  939,  943,  948,  950,  977-8,  981 
995,  997,  1000,  1008,  1052,  1061-3 
1070-1,  1152-3,  1173-4,  1176-7,  1181 
1188,  1190,  1194-0,  1199,  1201-2 
1206,    1208,    1211-2,    1222-4,    1220-7 

1233,  1243-4,  1247-8,  1258,  1261-2 
1268,  1273,  1276,  1280-1,  1285;  let 
ter  from,  847;  letters  to,  67,  306 
431,     434,    439-40,     464,     747,     1232 

1234,  1235. 

Holland  &  Wilder,  letter  from,  042. 
Holmes,  John  L.,   1287. 
Holmes,  P.  C,  letter  to,  735. 
Holmes,  R.  C,  letters  to,  905,   1082. 
Holmes,   Theophilus   H.,   349. 
Holt,  Isaac,  letter  to,  46. 
Holt,  Joseph,  634;  letter  to,  03. 
Holt,  Samuel  L.,  letter  to,  04. 
Holt,  Thomas  M.,  letter  to,  542. 
Hoover,  B.  F.,  152,  291-2. 
Hoover,  John,  1205,  1215. 
Horner,  Lewis,  750. 
Horney,  Clarkson,   183. 

42 


Horton,  Jonathan,   727. 

Horton,  Pliincas  '['.,  932. 

Howard,  Oliver  O.,  890,  901. 

Howard,  George,  1272;   letter  from,  707 ; 

letters  to,  867,  950. 
Hubbs,  Ethelbert,  684:   letter  to,  9(i6. 
Hudson,  H.  T.,  letter  to,  935. 
Hughes,  Isaac  W.,  216. 
Hughes,  J.  T.    (or  T.  J.),  440,  453-4. 
Humphrey,  L.  W.,  letter  from,  1245. 
Humphreys,  Benjamin  G.,  438. 
Hunt,  Andrew,  328;  letters  to,  419,  594. 
Hunt,  Nathan,  .Jr.,  letter  from,  206. 
Hunter,  J.  T.,    114. 
Hustead,  H.  W.,  520,  538-9,  556,  088,  721.. 

849,    1080,    1133. 
Hutchings,  .T.  F.,  301. 

Ingold,  A.  W.,  letter   to,  433,  878. 
Ingram,  E.,  402-4,  42S  :    Ictti'r  to,   400. 
Inzalla,  Captain,   1074. 
Iowa,  Conditions  in.   1S41,  32-4. 
Isler,   Stephen  W.,  lettei-  fiom,   1245. 
Ives,   B.   W.,    1221. 

.]. 

Jackson,   Andrew,   127,  220. 

Jackson,  Dr.,  332. 

Jackson,  J.,  letter  to,   1207. 

Jackson,  J.  H.,  letter  to,  588. 

Jackson,  J.  J.,  122,  305-6,  345,  406,  528, 
504,  739,  937,  980,  1240,  1204;  let- 
ters from,  202,  356,  365,  739,  1043, 
1046;  letters  to,  51,  124,  126,  171, 
221,  238,  282,  290,  308-9,  327,  342, 
351,  360-2,  306,  371-3,  375-6,  379-80, 
410,  427-8,  446,  \538,  706,  710,  949, 
1149. 

Jackson,  Samuel  S.,  204,  262.  291,  299, 
400,  404,  425,  742,  1247:  letters 
from,  51,  192,  190,  200,  223,  268-9, 
342,  346,  355-6,  362,  309,  814,  937: 
letters  to,  269.  3(57,  406,  793,  820, 
1184,  1192,  1206. 

Jackson,  Mrs.  S.  S.,  268,  363,  1254;  let- 
ters from,   163,  308. 


1302 


IXDEX. 


James,  R.  A.,  32S. 

Jarrell,  Manleff,  347  :  letters  to,  325,  429. 

Jenkins,  Charles  J.,   letter  to,    1104. 

Jenkins,  David  A.,   1201,   1225-6. 

Jenkins,  William  A.,  648. 

Jobe,   M.   A.,    936,   938:    letters    to,   545, 

1233. 
John,  Dr.,  234. 

Johnson,  Andrew,  433,  438,  446,  456,  406, 
520,  536-7,  599,  618,  621,  044-5, 
666-7,  671,  697,  730,  744,  752-3,  770, 
903-4,  970,  977-8,  984,  1122,  1129-30, 
1203-4,  1226,  1260,  1279;  letters  to, 
392,  504,  549,  562,  595-6,  605,  676, 
92.5,  1056,  1059,  1099,  1135,  1219. 
Johnson,  M.  C,  861. 
Johnson,   Reverdy,   518,   895,   899,    1128; 

letter  to,  500. 
Johnson,     William,     887,     1056,     1085-6, 

1101-2,   1113-4,   1121-2,   1132,  1135. 
Johnson,  &  Farnsworth,  letter  to,  150. 
Johnston,  Major,  932. 
Johnston,  Joseph  E.,  370-1,  379,  1289-92. 
Johnston,  William,   181-2,  256,  550,  752. 
Jones,   A.    H.,    494,    601,    638,    681,    778, 

783;   letter  to,  597. 
Jones,  Andrew  J.,  470,  472,  478,  480,  497, 

504,  1275-7. 
Jones,  Mrs.  A.  S.,  letter  to,  693. 
Jones,  Charles  R.,  letter  to,  528. 
Jones,  Dr.,   1265-6. 
Jones,  E.  A.,  letter  to,  1120. 
Jones,  E.  W.,  473,  481,  606,  627,   1150. 
Jones,  H.  C,  letter  to,  581. 
Jones,  J.  M.,  624. 
Jones,  J.  W.,  letter  to,  627. 
Jones,  Joseph  R.,  letter  to,  757. 
Jones,  Mrs.  Joseph  S.,  letter  to,  693. 
Jones,  R.  K.,  602,  754. 
Jones,  Redding,  602,  624. 
Jones,  W'illie  D.,  561,  656. 
Jones,  W.  H.,  655. 
Jones,  William  H.,  218. 

Jordan,  Mrs.,    ,   357. 

Jordan,  Allen,  814;  letter  to,  747. 
.Jordan,  J.  Parker,  letter  to,  508. 
Jordan,  W.  G.,  letter  from,  211. 


Juurnal,  Wilmington,  227,  869,  871,  877, 
1067,  1132,  1267,  1271,  1275. 

Joyner,  Henry,  764;   letter  to,   1118. 

Julian,  Floyd,  letter  to,  263. 

Justice,  administration  of,  603-4,  670, 
685,  690,  693-4,  697-8,  704-5,  709-11, 
716-9,  723-8,  756,  773-8,  786,  844-5, 
855,  867-73,  875,  877-80,  882,  956-9, 
968,  979-80,  1007,  1070-1,  1120-7. 


Kearney,  Lieutenant,  letter  to,  182. 
Keeht,  T.  F.,  1077. 
Kelsey,  K,  letter  to,  947. 
Kelso,  William,  letter  to,  1015. 
Kemp,  A.  S.,  letters  to,  1055,  1175. 
Kenan,  Owen  R.,  748,  752,  841,  927. 
Kenan,  Thomas  S.,  letters  to,  574,  941. 

Kendall,  Mrs ,  691-2. 

Keogh,  Thomas  B.,   1125. 
Kerner,  J.,  letter  to,  819. 

Kerr,  John,   1056,   1124;   letters  to,  887, 
1100,  1115. 

Kerr,    W.    C,    350,    517,    556,    563,    713, 
720-2,  737. 

Keyes,  Wade,  letter  from,  193. 

Kilpatrick,  General,  1289. 

King,  Pendleton,  480. 

King,  Richard  W.,  606,  620,  687,  732-4. 

King,  W.  H.,  letter  to,  1042. 

Kinley,   ,  184. 

Kinley,  George,  742. 

Kirkpatrick,  J.  S.,  letter  from,   586. 

Kistler,  W.  L.,  letter  to,  589. 

Knapp,  Colonel,  945. 

Koonce,   818. 

Kyle,  James,  letter  to,  827. 

Kvse,  Jesse  K.,  letter  to,  179. 


Lacy,  Drury,  letter  to,  917. 
Laflin,  Byron,   1226. 
Lamb,  A.  L.,  letter  to,  285. 
Lamb,  :\Iiles,   letter  from,  699. 
Lambert,  Lieutenant,  201. 
Land,  W.  W.,  letter  to,  645. 


I.XDEX. 


1303 


Lander,    William,    596,    661-2,    067,    677, 

752,  841,  926,  977,  981. 
Lane,   Dr.,    116-7,    152. 
Lane,  H.  C,  letter  from,  204. 
Lane,  William  K.,  letter  to,   158. 
Lash,    Israel    G.,    466,    468-9,    484,    487, 

491,    498,    551,    558,    1168-70;    letter 

to,  426. 
Lassiter,  E.  W.,  569,  722,  732,  737,  812. 
Lavender,  Benjamin,  letter  to,   1179. 
Lawrence,  Mark  E.,  letter  to,  1020. 
Laws,  George,  letter  to,   1177. 
I'       Lawyers  in  Gviilford  and  Randolph  coun- 
ties,  49. 
Lazelle,  Captain,  975. 
Lea,  James  H.,  letter  to,  1079. 
Leach,   James   M.,    539,   563-5,   569,   609, 

630,    633,    639,    644,    739,    743,    841, 

848,    858-9,     862,    864,     1125,     1135, 

1168:   letters  from,  629,  631;  letters 

to,  641,  864,  884,   1084. 
Leach,  James  T.,  470;  letter  to,  810. 
League,    Union,    866,    964,     1187,     1202, 

1208,   1213. 
Leak,  Walter  F.,  650;   letter  from,  963; 

letters  to,  859,  868,  937,  1253, 
Ledford,  T.  R.,  603,  773-5. 
Ledford,  W.  C,  603,  773-5. 
Lee,  J.  E.,  letter  to,  691. 
Lee,  Joshua  L.,  letter  to,   1219. 
Lee,    Robert   E.,    353,    381,    731-2,    1288, 

1291. 
Legislature  of  1860,  124-7,  159. 

LeGrand,    ,  269. 

Lehman,  R.  F.,  letter  to,  651. 
Leisering,  H.  G.,  letters  to,  1224,  1256. 
Lenow,  C.  K.,  letters  to,  1205,  1215. 
Levy,  James  B.,  letter  to,   1157. 
Lewis,    G.    F.,    1096;    letter    from,    835; 

letter  to,  1037. 
Lewis,  J.  J.  D.,  letter  to,  600. 
Lilly,  Captain,   357. 
Lincoln,    Abraham,    127,    132,    134,    137, 

147-8,    150,    155,    158,   329,   381,    621, 

670. 
Lindsay,  Jesse  H.,   290,   486,   046-7,   679, 

850,  916,  918-9,  938,    986,   1125. 


Lindsay,  Jed   H.,   1125. 
Lindsay,  R.  C,  letter  to,  918. 
Lineberry,  W.  H.,  letter  from,  213. 
Literary   Board,   519-20,   525-6,   538,   547. 

552,  556,  688,  833-5,  849,  1000,  1008, 

1053,   1080,   1146-7,   1231. 
Literary  Fund,  389,  406,  411,  414. 
Little,  Alexander,  1018,   1083. 
Little,   George  W.,   630,   655;    letters  to, 

70,   81,  83,  105. 
Livingston,  John,  letter  to,  528. 
Loftin,   S.  E.,  568. 
Logan,  George  W.,   742,  748,  762-3,   765, 

781,  846;  letter  to,  463. 
Long,  Fannie,  letter  to,  163. 
Long,  James  A.,  letter  to,  77. 
Long,  John,  letter  to,  44. 
Long,  Rebecca,  229. 
Long,  Thomas  N.,  1004. 
Long,  William,  336,    1125,   1240. 
Long,  W.  F.,  112,   169,   174. 
Long,    W.   J.,    118,    122;    letters   to,    lOS, 

153,  169,  274,  293. 
Long  &  Sherwood,  letters  to,  62,  68,  85. 
Love,  James  R.,  letter  to,  532. 
Lucas,  J.  J.  D.,  573. 
Lucas,  Joel,  letter  to,  1158. 


M. 


McAden,  John,   109,   118,   121-3. 
McAden,    R.    Y.,    1234;    letters    to,    793, 

1074. 

McAllister,    ,  814. 

McAllister,    Alex.,    3()3,    1291  :    letter    to, 

178. 
McAuley,  Sheriff,  815. 
McBee,  Vardry  A.,  5So. 
McCane,  Hugh,  358. 
McCormick,  John,  letter  to,   1181. 

McCoy,   829. 

McCulloch,    Hugh,    629:    letters   to,   494, 

516,   606,   621,   632-3,  650,   672,   684, 

691. 
McEachern,  John  H.,  573. 
IMcFarland,    William,    906. 
McGehee,  Montford,  336. 


1804 


IXDEX. 


McGowan,  James  M.,  letter  to,  724. 

Mackey,  Charles,  570. 

McKay,  John,  letter  to,  1080. 

MeKoy,  Neill,  1233. 

McLean,  A.  D.,  573. 

McLean,  Archibald,  letter  to,  260. 

McLean,  A.  L.,  letter  to,  1253. 

McLean,  J.  R.,  605,  629,  1114,  1124. 

McLean,  R.  P.,  letter  to,  1113. 

McLean,   Robert  A.,   639,   841,   926,   978, 

981. 

Mc  le  Roy,   ,  733. 

McMasters,  Sidney,   179,  183,   187. 

McXair,  Ray,  573. 

McXair,  Rorv,  letter  to,   1157. 

McXeely,    ,   744. 

McNeill,  A.  S.,  402,  404;  letter  to,  960. 

McNeill,  George,  328;  letters  to,  52,  110. 

McNeill,   James,   letter   to,    135. 

McNeill,  John,  506,  960. 

McNeill,  John,  Jr.,  566. 

McNeill,  Roxana,   191-2,   198,  226-7,  318, 

327,   339,   367-9,   374,   382,  451,   566, 

746,    1204-5,    1288,    1291;    letter    to, 

1292. 
Macon,  Eli,  letter  from,  242. 
Macon,  Thomas,  letter  from,   138. 
Macon,  William,  815. 
McPheeters,  William,  391. 
McPherson,   Thomas   H.   N.,    1186. 
McRae,  Duncan  G.,  958,  926-3,  972,  982, 

1129;    letter    from,    994;    letter    to, 

1088. 
McRae,  D.  K.,  282,  525. 
McRae  &  Co.,   120. 

McRae,  McL.,  832;  letter  from,  952;  let- 
ter to,  961. 
:McRae,   W.   H.,   letter   to,   1047. 
Madlin,  John,  710. 
Makepeace,    George,    269-70,    340,    342-3, 

351,    1014,    1138,    1256;     letters    to, 

295,   1138. 
Mallard,  D.,   letters  to,  573,  582. 
Mallett,  C.   B.,  letters  to,  77,   422,   1188, 

1195,   1220,  1223. 
Mallett,  Peter,  176,  187,  238-9,  274,  304, 

310,  327. 


Malloy,  Philo  Z.,  489. 

Manly,    Matthias    E.,    71."),     lUOO,     1143. 

1253;  letter  to,   1139. 
Manning,  Charles  G.,  020-1. 
Manning,  John,  539. 

March,   ,  973. 

Marler,  J.  B.,  letter  to,  792. 
Mart,  P.  P.,  letter  to,  544. 
Masters,  J.  W.,   letter  to,   1097. 
Martin,  S.  N.,   1274. 

Marvin,    862. 

Mason,  W.  S.,  515,  537. 

Massey,  P.  T.,  letter  to,  1054. 

Masten,  J.,  824;  letter  to,  1084. 

Matthews,  Washington,   603. 

Maxwell,  Lydia,  letter  to,  872. 

Means,  J.  S.,   985-6. 

Means,  Lieutenant,  916,  928. 

Means,    Samuel,    561,    640,    646-7,    649, 

652-3,  669,  723,  986. 
Meares,  William  B.,  1135. 
Meares,  Oliver  P.,  letter  to,  1050. 
Mebane,    Giles,    103-4,    109,    120n,    121-2, 

323,    986;    letters   to,    120,    123,    334, 

1118. 
Mendenhall,    Cyrus    P.,    76n,     171,    207. 

490-7,    522,    046-7,    649,    653,    1125; 

letters  to,  70,  140,   1085. 
Mendenhall,  D.  E.,  letter  from,  241. 
Mendenliall,  J.  C,  letter  to,  70. 
Mendenhall,  J.  R.,  letter  to,  980. 
Mendenhall,  Nereus,  538-9,  550,  689,  713.. 

720,    722,    760,    767,    769,    776,    849. 

1125;    letter   from,    523;    letters   to. 

407,    514,    519,    552,    749,    756,    772» 

808,  864. 
Menninger,  Henry  J.,  1225. 
Merrimon,  Augustus  S.,  597,  603-4,  681» 

697,    699,    764,    773,    775,    846,    848. 

858-9,     863-4,     1003,     1008,     1011-2. 

1018,    1171,   1175;    letter  from,  601; 

letters  to,  600,  037,  1011,  1169,  124L 
Michaux,  H.  C,   427. 
Miles,    Nelson    A.,    942-3,    950-1,    955-6. 

962-3,    1005,    1177;    letters    to,    956. 

958,   968. 


TXDEX. 


1305 


Military  occupation,  410,  4.56,  483,   504. 

511,    551,    719,    725-9,    734-6,    745-6. 

804,  832,  845,  959-63,  994-6,   1056-7, 

1069-72,      1084-5,      1087-94,      1097-8. 

1100-1,  1103,  1106-8,  1115-6,  1128-30. 

1182-3,     1189,     1202,     1221,     1235-7, 

1244-5,   1268-70,   1278,   1281-3. 
Miller,  A.,  letter  to,  825. 
Miller,  Fannie,  544. 
Miller,  W.  J.,  letter  to,  511. 
Mitchell,  Anderson,  482,  697,  699,  709-11, 

1083,  1224;  letter  to,  483. 
Mitchell,  James  P.,  1170. 
Moffitt,  Ben,  415,  1282;  letter  from,  344; 

letter   to,   423. 
Moffitt,  Mrs.  H.,  248. 
Moon,  .John,  299. 

Moore, ,  120-1.  ^ 

Moore,  A.,   114. 

Moore,  Alexander,  804. 

Moore,    Bartholomew   F.,   58n,   490,    666. 

1010;  letter  to,  58. 
Moore,  David,  726-7. 
Moore,  Eobert,  647,  G52-3,  669,  722,  737. 

986. 
Moore,  William  G.,  984-5,   1130-1;   letter 

from,     754;     letters    to,    977,     1098, 

1107,    1182,    1232. 
Mordecai,  William,  646,  839. 
Mordeeai,  George  W.,  556,  732,  751,  850; 

letter  from,  210. 
Morehead,  James  T.,  113,  675,  806,  1125; 

letters  to,  920,  1012,  1203. 
Morehead,    .J.    L.,    640,    646-7,    649,    683, 

702;  letter  to,  653. 
Morehead,   John   :M.,    118,   378,    569,   634, 

679. 
Morehead,  .John  M.,  Jr.,  1038 ;  letters  to, 

561,  635,  1163. 
Morris,  Wilkes,  386. 
Moss,  C.  M.,  letter  to,  932. 
Moss,  Solomon,  letter  to,   1186. 

Murchison,   ,  260. 

^lurchison,  Captain,   187. 

Murchison,   IMose,   370. 

Murdoch ,  696,  701-3,  737. 


Murdoch,   William,    637,   646-7. 

Murphey,    ,   336. 

Murphey,   David,   572. 

jNIurphy,  Henry  D.,  1238. 

Murphy  P.,  566,  573;    letter  to,  572. 

Murphy,  William ;  letter  to,  587. 

Myrover,  H.  L.,  716;  letters  to,  140,  710. 


N. 


Nash,  Frederick,   1209. 

Natio7ml  Intelligencer,  482,  803,  813,  S32. 

1096;  letters  to,  813,  1199. 
Negroes,    7-3^1,—- 964,--^;^-  i^4,    ^ 095-6, 

1154-5., 
Negroes,  apprenticeship  of,  827,  832,  890. 
Negroes,  arming  of,  353,  744. 
Negro  Code,  616-7,  635,  051. 
Negroes,  conduct  of,  482,  746,  874-5. 
Negroes    in    the    courts,    467,    509,    560. 

571-2,  745-6,  988,   1082. 
Negro  suffrage,  566-7,  608,  784,  807,  809. 

855,    859,    865-6,    874-5,    899^   902-3. 

953,    1048,    1052,    1058,    1062,    lOiifi.. 

K)08^  1145-6,"Tl^^  12.1.3.   1218. 
Negro  troops,  1244-5. 
Nelson,  William  W.,  letter  from,  212. 
New  Bern  Commercial,  867,  871,  1131. 
New  Bern  Progress,  321,  523,  707-8,  717. 
Newb}',  Nathan,  755. 
Newlin,   James,    letter   to,    185. 
Newlin,  Joseph,   letter  from,   207 ;    letter 

to,   321. 
Newlin,  Newton,  419. 
Newman,   Robert,   letter   from,   882 :    let- 
ters to,  852-3,  886. 
Neics.  Fayetteville,  590. 
Xeics.  Goldsboro,  S70. 
Newton,  Thomas,  945. 
New  York  Herald,  772,  783,  793.  112i;. 
New  York  Tribune,  523,  636n,  774-5,  793. 
New  York  World,  letter  to,  1201. 
Noel,  H.  R.,  letter  to,   1285. 

Nowell,    ,  473. 

Norfleet,  John,  945,  950.   1272. 
Norfleet,  S.  A.,  624. 


i;:!OG 


Index. 


Xortlu'ote,  Ben,  354. 

Xorwood,  S.  L.,  letter  from,  20'). 


0. 


ObserL-er,  Fayetteville,  79-SO,  82,  84,  187. 

253n,   292. 
Odell.  J.  :\r.,  340;  letter  to,  341. 
Odell,  L.,  letter  to,  180. 
Ocloni,  J.   B.,   335. 
Old    Xorfh    State,    Salisbury,    027,    800, 

973. 
Oliver,  William  H.,  letter  to,  418. 
Orr,  James  L.,   1149-50,   1198;   letters  to, 

G17,  635,  845-6,  894,  897,  943,  1007. 
Osborne,  J.  H.,  letter  to,  946. 
Osborne,  James  W.,  letters  to,  588,  1068. 
Outlaw,  David,  letter  to,  89. 
Owensbv,  James,  1004. 


Packard,  Colonel,  530-1. 

Page,    ,   197. 

Page,  .James,  740. 

Palmer,  D.  A.  G.,  905. 

Pardons,  476,  479,  483-4,  498,  505-6, 
91.5-6,  532-3,  535-7,  543-4,  549-51. 
553-,  562,  564,  566,  572,  574,  589, 
593-6,  599,  602-3,  605,  618-9,  624-5, 
628,  631,  641,  648-9,'  660-2,  671, 
677-8,  687,  690,  743-4,  748,  7.52,  755, 
769-71,  815,  822-,3,  841,  845,  926-7, 
977-8,   984-6,    1232.       • 

Parker,  Joseph  P.,  691,  735,  744. 

Parks,  Lewis,  740. 

Parks,  :\rarghall,  569,  818;  letter  to,  761, 
817. 

Parrott,  J.  M.,  340,  561,  1080:  letters 
to,  339,  823,  979,  1014,  1079. 

Parsley,  Oscar  G.,  722,  986,  1273-4;  let- 
ter from,  842. 

Parsley,  0.  G.  &  Co.,  916;  letters  to, 
901,  904,  916. 

Parsons,  Lewis  E.,  862,  897,  920,  1104; 
letters  to,  896,  898,  923. 

Paschal,  R.  B.,   letter  to,   1031. 


Patriot.  Greensboro,  62n,  7(>,  78-80,  85, 
95,  99,  101,  104,  lis,  472,  777,  809; 
letter  to,   774. 

Patterson,  R.  L.,  letter  from,  67S :  let- 
ter to,  687. 

Patterson,  S.  F.,  335,  688. 

Patterson,  W.  K,  426;  letter  from,  200. 

Payne,  J.  W.,  letter  to,  443. 

Peace,  J.,  letter  from,  731. 

Peace  movement,  222,  247,  249,  253-8, 
260-5,  282-6,  289,  292,  296-8,  30t>, 
319,  341-3,  346-8,   351-2,  376,  661. 

Pearce,    Rebecca,   229. 

Pearson,    ,    101. 

Pear.son,  Richmond  M.,  300,  318,  607, 
846,  1003,  1220,  1260,  1272;  letters 
to,   698,    1134. 

Peebles,  W.  W.,  1038. 

Pell,  William  E.,  406,  536,  589,  608,  619, 
624,  626,  629-30,  645,  655,  779,  782-.3, 
802-3,    1240;    letter   to,    1244. 

Pennington,  J.  L.,  282. 

Perkins,    884. 

Perkins,  J.  J.,  856-7,   1049. 

Perry,  John  M.,  695,  818;  letter  to,  684. 

Person,  Samuel  J.,   125,  208,  329,  336. 

Pettigrew,  James  J.,  240,   246. 

Phifer,  W.  F.,  588. 

Philadelphia  Convention  of  1866,  748, 
7.56,  759-60,  767-9,  772-9,  781-2,  785, 
808-9,   1126. 

Phillips, ,  1057,  1183. 

Phillips,  Charles,   1039. 

Phillips,  Lewis,  229-30. 

Phillips,  Mark,  963. 

Phillips,   Reuben,   229. 

Phillips,  Samuel  F.,  336,  353,  461,  519, 
532,  558,  764;  letter  from,  200;  let- 
ter to,    1089. 

Piercy,  William  E.,  letter  from,  234. 

Piermont,  R.,  470,  477,  481,  735,  744; 
letter  to,   734. 

Pigott,  Jennings,  465,  481,   653,  684-5. 

Pioneer,  Hendersonville,  704,  707,  1108. 

Pledge,  James  S.,  letter  to,  765. 

Poindexter,  John  F.,  1084,  1110-1,  1115-6, 
1118,   1120,  1141-2. 


Index. 


iyji)\ 


Poindexter,  Joseph  F.,  474. 

Political  discussion,  40,  44-7,  IJU,  10-2-4, 
108-10,  114,  117-8,  120-3,  256,  322-4, 
770-t),  778-84,  787-95,  797-8,  804-5, 
807-9,  1178-9,  1185,  1187-8,  1191- 
1208,   1210-18,    1222-5,    1240-3. 

Polk,  James  K.,   1228. 

Polk,  L.  L.,  558;  letters  to,  900,  929. 

Pomeroy, ,  546. 

Pool,  Charles  C,   164. 

Pool,  John,  115,  335,  435,  472,  494,  565, 
569,  607-8,  619,  024,  G41,  666,  683, 
708,  764,  850,  1188;  letters  from, 
164,  1282;  letters  to,  288,  429,  432, 
554,   574,   1269,   1280. 

Pool,  Solomon,  472,  478,  481,  484,  491, 
1173,  1177. 

Pool,  Stephen  D.,  336,  538-9,  556,  689, 
695,  721,  751,  849;   letter  to,  547. 

Porter,  Lieutenant,  932. 

Porter,  Ruth  C,  1250. 

Porter,  Thomas,  229. 

Poulson,   G.  D.,   letter  to,    1128. 

Powell,  Luke  A.,  335. 

Powell,  R.  J.,  481,  484,  487,  491,  515-6, 
533,  536,  553,  572,  582,  607,  648, 
675,  900;  letters  to,  462,  531,  572, 
583. 

Powell,  William  M.,  473,  478,  481. 

Powers,    ,  754,  1056,   1097,  1183. 

Presbi/terian,  North  Carolina,   135. 

Presley,  William,   740. 

Presnell,  John,  letter  from,  212. 

Press,  Salem,  287. 

Price  and  Englehard,  letters  to,  1267, 
1271,  1275. 

Pritchard,  Mrs.  E.  C,  letters  to,  921, 
933. 

Progress,  New  Bern,  321,  523,  707-8,  717. 

Progress.  Raleigh,  314,  487. 

Public  lands,  475.  See  also.  Swamp 
lands. 

Pugh,  W.  P.,  382;  letter  to,  445. 

Purdie,  J.  W.,  letter  to,   1000. 

Purifoy,  G.  W.,  624. 

Purnell.  William,  346. 

Pvlic,  ('.,   letter   from,   459. 


Q. 


Quakers,  l(i5-(i,  207-9,  242,  514,  5  IS, 
523-4,  (i()8,  751-2,  75(;,  7<;(),  767-9. 
776-7,  780,  809,  815,  951,  lO.lO-l, 
1154-6,  1166,  1168. 

Quin,  Lewis  J.,  letters   to,   1001,    1017. 

Quince,    ,  639. 


R. 


Railroad  matters,  61-81,  85-93,  98-102, 
104-7,  118-9,  121,  123,  173,  362,  538, 
540-3,  556,  559-62,  568-9,  593,  609- 
12,  619-20,  622,  625,  630-1,  63-1-6, 
646-7,  649-50,  652-3,  655-6,  663,  669, 
678-80,  682,  684,  688,  694-6,  700-4, 
712-4,  721-3,  732-3,  751,  786-7,  812, 
829-30,  836-9,  842-3,  915,  938,  950, 
981,  986,  990-1,  998,  1005,  1074, 
1112-3,  1160-2,  1164-5,  1188-9,  1195-6, 
122o-4,   1272-4. 

Rains,  Gabriel  J.,  letter  to,  826. 

Raleigh  Conservafire.  261-2. 

Raleigh,  Evacuation  of,  373,  380,  1288-90. 

Ralston,  J.  G.,  letter  to,  82. 

Ramsey,    ,  696,  701-2. 

Ramsey,  James  G.,  88n,  108,  318,  538, 
541,  555-6,  568-9,  611,  025,  635, 
721-2,  732,  737,  751,  761,  812,  817, 
841,  986,  990;  letters  to,  88,  92,  94, 
118,  634,  781,  818,  1191. 

Randolph  County,  40,  44-7,  49,  6(),  102-4, 
108-10,  114,  163-4,  174,  187-8,  211. 
230,  265,  322-4,  338,  348,  354,  356- 
60,  362-3,  416-7. 

Ransom,  Matthew  W.,  650,  MW,  675,  683, 
704.     • 

Ransom,   Robert,    1273. 

Ray,  J.  S.,   1052. 

Reade,  Edwin  G.,  281,  432,  1225.  1260. 
1272,;  letter  from,  846;  letters  to, 
396,   846. 

Reconstruction.  599-600,  606-7.  (i20-l, 
848-9,  859,  861-2,  865-6,  868,  880-1, 
885,  891-6,  898,  901-3.  907-8,  912-7, 
920-5,    930,    939-54,    962.    965-7,    969- 


1308 


Index. 


72,  <)7!),   082-8,  !)87-9,   992,  99.5-1004, 

1007-12,      1034-5,      1045-51,      1054-5, 

1058-72,  1074,  1079-80,  1082,  1087-90, 

1104-8,     1119,     1229,     1233,     1242-4, 

1248-9,  1259-150,  1205-8,  1292. 
Red  Strings,  8G6,  970. 
Reed,  Isaac  A.,  570. 

Reese, 974. 

Register,  Raleigh,  Gin,  03,  G5,  S3-4,  244. 

Reid,  James  C,  4G4. 

Reid,  William  B.,  470. 

Rencher,  A.,  37-44. 

Rhodes,  A.  E.,  letter   from,   694;    letters 

to,  684,  700. 
Richardson,   Sarah,  534. 
Richardson,  W.  R.,  464. 
Ricketts,  George  R.,  letter  to,  510. 
Ridenhour,  P.,  241. 
Ritch,  W.  H.,  627,  640,  644. 
Robbins,   D.  B.,  840. 
Robbins,   F.  C,  948. 
Robbins,     William     M.,     938;     letter    to, 

1229. 
Robins,  Christopher,   1205,    1215. 
Robins,  Marmaduke,   179,   183,   187,  205, 

214-5,  218,  321-3,  326,  406,  528,  739, 

793,   1240. 
Roberts,    B.    B.,    G46-7,    652-3,    669,    723. 

986. 
Roberts,  Nathan  W.,  671. 
Robinson,  Benjamin,  590. 
Robinson,   John  C,  672,  693-4,  697,  699, 

716-7,     725,     734,     736,     745,     777-8, 

827-8,    832-3,    901,    1272;     letter    to, 

671. 
Rodman,    William    B.,    118.1,    1188,    1195. 

1198-9,     1201-2,     1213,     1225,     1261, 

1272. 
Rogers,  Sion  H.,  1148;  letters  from,  745, 

754;   letters  to,  508,  517,   749,    1069, 

1181. 
Rollins,  E.  A.,  518. 
Rose,  George  W.,  letter  to,   1259. 
Round,  George  C,  letter  to,   591. 
Royster,  M.  B.,   1237. 
Riiffin,  P.  B.,  564,  737. 
Euffin,    Thomas,    112-3,    235,    392-3,    560, 


715,  908,  923,  930,  1163,  1253:  let- 
ters to,  861,  877,  909,  920,  923,  984. 

Ruffin,  Thomas,  Jr.,  letter  to,  59. 

Ruger,  Thomas  H.,  403,  406,  428,  443, 
456,  474,  487,  496,  508,  511,  524, 
531,  617,  735-6;  letters  to,  410,  429, 
456,  482,  489,  524,  527,  529-30,  546. 
562,  587,  616. 

Rumley, ,  465. 

Rumley,  D.,  letter  to,   1017. 

Rush,  James,  letter  to,  1174. 

Rush,   Ninevah,   742. 

Rusli,  Xoah,  252,  357,  505 ;  letter  to. 
252. 

Rush,   Sheriff,   741-2. 

Rush,  Zebulon  F.,  425,  939. 

Russ,  J.  H.  P.,  288,  292,   1052. 

Russell,  C.  L.,  letter  to,  179. 

Russell,  Daniel  L.,  558,  573;  letter  from, 
832;    letters  to,  296,  827-8,  890. 

Russell,  James,  letter  to,  305. 

Russell,   T.  L.,   495. 


S. 


Salisbury  Old  North  State,  627,  809,  973. 
Salt  Works,  161-2,  165-8,  170,  194-5,  197, 

202-3,    207,    21.5-7,    228-9,    236,    247, 

2.50,  262-3,  272-3,  301,  308-16,  318-20. 

326,  331,  333,  354-5. 
Satterthwaite,  F.  P.,   1001. 
Satterthwaite,  F.  B.,  letters  to,  856,  978. 
Saimders,  David  L.,  letter  from,  818. 
Saunders,   James,   866. 
Saunders,  L.  H.,  822. 
Saunders,  R.  :\I.,   122;   letter  to,  59. 
Savage,    Richard,    632-4,    639,    641,    644. 

648,  651-2,  654-5,  668,  757,  760. 
Scales,  Alfred  M.,  605,  629,  639. 
Scott,  Alex.,  229.  1144. 
Scott,  J.  S.,   109:   letter  to,   109. 
Scott,  Levi  M.,  1125. 
Scott,  W.  L.,   1125. 
Sewell,  F.  D.,  1287. 
Secession    movement,     124-37,    798,    805, 

811. 
Seelv,  G.  A.,  534. 


Index. 


1300 


Sellei>,  Dr.,  .595,  (i70. 

Seniles,  Evelinu,   1:2.50. 

Sennes,  Nathan,  1250. 

Sentinel,  Raleigh,  195,  388,  406,  433. 
436n,  471,  491,  511,  589,  600,  608, 
638-9,  644-5,  660,  730,  707,  780,  782. 
870,  994,   1131-2. 

Sequestration,    193. 

Settle,  Thomas,  563,  019,  626,  638,  641-2, 
644,  687,  690,  742,  924,  1100-1,  1188, 
1198-9,  1202,  1225;  letters  to,  959. 
1056,   1085. 

Seymour,  Augustus   S.,   1140,   1143. 

Seymour,  Horatio,   1226,   1238,   1247-8. 

Seymour,  Thomas  H.,  1217. 

Seward,  William  H.,  381,  671,  675,  693; 
letters  to,  571,  631,  600,  1006,  1059. 
1140. 

Shackleford,    ,   652. 

Sharkey,  W.  A.,  438,  860,  862,  920-1, 
933,   1104;    letter  to,  922. 

Sharpe,  L.  Q.,  437,  660-1. 

Shaw,  Duncan,  566. 

Shepherd,  Jesse  G.,  Ill,  196,  336;  letter 
to,  1116. 

Sherman's  march,  351,  353,  360,  364-74, 
377,   379,  510,  591-2. 

Sherman,  William  T.,  381,  1288-9. 

Shipp,  William  M.,  697,  699,  725,  1083, 
1149;   letter  to,  1158. 

Shipp,   W.  T.,   329. 

Shober,  F.  E.,  391;  letter  to,  443. 

Showman,  M.,    1190. 

Shrier,  Mrs ,   1149. 

Sickles,  Daniel  E.,  736,  845-6,  872,  922, 
939-43,  946-8,  950-1,  955-6,  959-62, 
964,  967,  972-3,  979,  982-3,  985, 
988-9,  996-8,  1004-8,  1011-2,  1014, 
1034-6,  1039-40,  1043,  1045,  1047, 
1049,  1061,  1069-72,  1095,  1102,  1113, 
1234-5,  1266,  1272;  letters  to,  962, 
975,  999,  1003,  1034. 

Siler ,  807-8,  816-7,  819-20. 

Simmons,  Erasmus  L.,  708,  1287. 

Simmons,  Joseph  D.,  letter  to,  777. 

Simmons,  Locky,  959. 

Simonton,    ,   945. 


Siinoiiton,   K.    V\,   lOS,   390,    722,   851. 

Sinclair,   .lames,    953-4. 

Skeeii,  Allen,  Icth-r  tKnii,  2l(i. 

Skeen,  J.  C,  letter  to,  41(i. 

Sloan,  James,   1125. 

Sloan,    William,    447,    497,    504,    1275-7: 
letter  to,  497. 

Slooum,  (General,   438. 

Smith,  A.,   190. 

Smith,  Alfred,  363. 

Smith,  General,  228. 

Smith,  Stark  D.,  708. 

Smith,  T.  M.,  573. 

Smith,  William  C,  406;  letter  to,  402. 

Smith,  W.  N.  H.,  519,  550. 

Solby,   ,  556. 

Sommerville,  Maria,  693. 

Southern  Citizen,  32. 

Southerner,  Tarboro,   867,   809-70,   877-8, 
879n. 

Sparrow,  T.,   1001. 

Speed,   James,   536. 

Speed,  E,ufus  K.,   850. 

Speight,  A.   D.,   823. 

Spelman,  John,   126,  261-2,  609. 

Spencer,  J.  G.,  letter  to,  959. 

Springs,  W.  L.,  letters  to,  60,   791,  880, 
1216. 

Springs,  Oak  &  Co.,  415;  letter  to,  143. 

Sprunt,  James  M.,  letter  to,  1020. 

Stafford,  R.  M.,  922. 

Stale,  T.  S.,  489. 

Standard,  Raleigh,  11,  67n,  68,  71,  75, 
78,  83,  245,  249,  253,  256,  260-1, 
263-4,  280,  284,  286,  292,  299n,  300. 
406,  420,  415,  433n,  442-3,  446,  448, 
450,  455,  481,  .505,  514,  523,  547, 
556,  559,  590,  602,  630-2,  661,  666, 
670,  707,  717,  730,  751,  756,  780, 
787,  793,  805,  809-10,  821,  892,  1108, 
1152. 
Stanly,  Edward  R.,  779:  letter  from.  609. 
Stanton,    Edwin    M.,    1236.    1281:    letter 

to,  579. 
Stanton,  Nathan,  letter  to,  498. 
Stanton,  William.  268,  369. 
tS7o/'.  Rutherford,  707. 


1310 


IXDEX. 


Stiubuck,  Darius  H.,  426,  473,  475,  558, 
G40,  646-7,  091,  718,  824,  901,  1078, 
1125;  letters  from,  474-5,  821;  let- 
ters to,  283,  286,  300,  404,  426,  652, 
794. 

State  agent,  481,  484,  515-6,  533-5. 

State  debt,  394-7,  404-5,  413-7,  419-23, 
445-6,  468,  524-5,  570-1,  622,  690, 
765-6,  822,  827-8,   1223-4. 

State  finances,  233-6,  275-9,  302-3,  334-5, 
337-8,  383-6,  388,  392,  394-400,  404-5, 
408-9,  414,  419-24,  427-8,  440,  448, 
471-2,  485-6,  512,  524-5,  594,  622, 
758,  765-6,  822,  884-5,  1005-6,  1263-4. 

State  Journal,  Raleigh,  261n. 

Steaclman,   ,  484. 

Steed,  Xat,  565. 

Steed,  Shipp,  225. 

Steele,  Walter  L.,  370;  letter  to,  535. 

Stephens,  Alexander,  677. 

Stephens,   W.   B.,  letter  to,   394. 

Stephenson,  Thomas,  letter  to,  1052. 

Stevens,  Thad.,  464,  510,  536,  575,  577, 
591,  657,  770-1,  891,  893-4,  896. 

Stipe,   W.   B.,  letter  from,   659. 

Stone,  Mrs.  David,  220. 

Stoneman's  raid,   375-8,   380,   474. 

Stout,   H.   C,   530,   587. 

Strange  Robert,  669,  722,  737,  764,  991, 
1273-4;  letters  to,  963,  991. 

Street,  Nathaniel  H.,   125. 

Stronach,  George,  letter  from,  488;  let- 
ter to,   496. 

Strong,  George  V.,  letter  from,  1244-5; 
letters  to,  930,  934. 

Stubbs,  Jesse  R.,  335,  494,  519,  608. 

Suggs,  Joseph,  545. 

Sullivan,  A.  V.,  242,  352:  letter  from, 
787;    letters  to,  340,   785. 

Sullivan,  Samuel,  letter  from,  36. 

Sumner,  Charles,  464,  577,  770-1,  1196, 
1200,   1208. 

Swaim,    830. 

Swain,  David  L.,  281,  381,  408-9,  507, 
516,  518,  537,  548,  583,  632,  709, 
826,  865,  909-11,  1019,  1039;  letters 
to,  350,  504,  509,  858,  908,  1100, 
1288-9. 


Swain,  Marmaduke,   194. 

Swain,  Peter  D.,  letter  to,  ()4. 

Swamp  lands,  528,   552,  832-5,  838,  S4!). 

1006,    1008,    1042,    1044,    1053,    lOo.'), 

1077-8,   1080-1,   1133-4,   1147. 
Swepson,    George     W.,    406,    824,    1242, 

1254;   letters  to,  399,  496. 
Swepson,    Mendenhall    &    Co.,    400,    503, 

1270;    letters  to,  385,  504. 
Swift,  M.  J.,  223. 
Svme,  J.  W.,  letter  to,  01-2. 


Tapseott,  John,  letter  to,  69. 

Taylor,  Eliza,  554. 

Taylor,  James  F.,  793. 

Teague,  Charles,  822. 

Teague,   Elijah  B.,  821,  824. 

Thomas,  Charles  R.,  561-2,  612,  695,  701, 

798;   letter  to,   312. 
Thomas,  John  W.,   529,   531,   564,   04(i-7, 

733,  737,  986. 
Thomas,  W.  R.,  779. 
Thomas,   \Yilliam   H.,   808,   819. 
Thompson,  Franklin,  815. 
Thompson,' Henry  C,  938. 
Thompson,  J.  W.,  815. 
Thompson,    Lewis,    432,    435,    440,    519, 

641,    664,    683,    764,    789;    letter    to, 

429. 
Thompson,  Walter  A.,  letter  to,  580. 
Tliompson,  William  H.,  461,  469-70,  478, 

481,  484,  487,  491,  498. 
Thornburgh,  Captain,   154. 
Times,  Hendersonville,  597n. 
Times,  New  Bern,  639,  704,  707. 
Tolar ,  754,  962-3,  972,  983,  1050, 

1097,   1183-4. 
Tolar,  John  R.,  letter  to,  983. 
Tomlinson,    Allen    il.,    282,    447;    letter 

from,  518;   letters  to,   105,  201,  322, 

435,  767,  780,  951,  1050. 
Tomlinson,  Allen  M.,  &  Sons,  letters  to, 

280,  501,  1185. 
Tomlinson,   Sidney,   1051. 
Tourgee,    Albion    W.,    773-7,    780,    785-6, 


Index. 


l;]l  1 


793,  808-9,  89.5,  105G,  1085-0,  ll()]--2, 
1113-24,  1120,  1129,  1131,  1139,  1141, 
1143,  1185,  1198,  1208,  1213,  1225, 
1258,   1206,   1268,   1275,  1277,   1279. 

Townsend,  Malcolm,  letter  to,  463. 

Tribune,  New  York,  523,  63Gii,  774-5, 
793. 

Trogden,  Eeuben  976. 

Trolinger,  General,   120. 

Trotter,    ,  460,  462. 

Trotter,  Thomas,  1125. 

Troy,  John  B.,  177;  letter  to,  150. 

Tucker,  Rufus,  646-7,  653,  655,  669,  986. 

Tucker,  Thomas  G.,  754. 

Turner,    ,    1181. 

Turner,  John,  646,   1173,   1177. 

Turner,  Josiah,  430,  437,  447,  494,  519, 
558,  560-1,  568,  594,  630,  647,  652-3, 
655,  660-2,  666-7,  669,  671,  673-4, 
677,  723,  737,  752,  764,  806,  841, 
926,  977,  981-2,  984,  998,  1042, 
1272-6;  letters  from,  466,  540,  670, 
990;  letters  to,  195,  245,  338,  564, 
646,  985-6,  1036,  1096,  1164,  1169, 
1240,  1278,  1282. 

Turrentine,  J.  C,   letter  to,   932. 

Tyler,  Robert  O.,  1156,  1269,  1281;  let- 
ter to,   1092. 

Tyson,  Bryan,   1103;   letter  to,   1103. 


U. 


Union    League,     866,     964,     1187,     1202, 

1208,    1213. 
University  of  North  Carolina,  51-3,  407-9, 

420,     1010-1,     1016,     1018-9,     1037-9, 

1044,   1096,  1100. 
Utley,  Joseph,  letter  to,  151. 

V. 

Vail,  I.  L.,  553. 

Vail,  Thomas  L.,  letter  to,  553. 

Vance,  Zebulon  B.,  181-2,  202,  216,  228, 
2.38,  240-7,  250-4,  256-8,  261-2,  266, 
274,  276,  281,  287,  293,  298,  303-4, 
.306-18,  320-2,  326-7,  331,  333,  336, 
.349,  360,  364,  373,  379,  381,  397,  404, 


466,  504,  568,  582-3,  6.55,  061,  675, 
679,  689,  709,  73.3,  737,  741,  751,  757, 
908-9,  926-7,  975,  977,  1074,  1112, 
1162,  1166,  1169,  1229,  1243;  letters 
from,  609,  967;  letters  to,  175,  187, 
201,  229,  2.30-1,  234,  281,  315,  319, 
390,  412,  440,  540,  559,  593,  0.30, 
697,  935,  1073,  1167,  1174,  1288-90, 
1292. 

Vance,  Mrs.  Zebulon  B.,  390. 

Venable,  A.  W.,  661-2,  667,  077,  752,  841, 
926,  977-8,  981. 

Virden,  Dr.,  154. 


\V. 


Waddell,  Hugh,   1409. 

Waddell,  Tom,  202. 

Wade,  Benjamin,  904,  992. 

Walcott,  Frank,  725-7. 

Walker,  Bettie,  367. 

Walker,  Dawson  A.,  letter  to,  577. 

Walker,  Je^e,  425,  742,  910,  912;  letters 
to,  419,  911. 

Walker,  Robert  J.,   920-1,    1104. 

Walkup,  Samuel  H.,  152n.,  489.  673;  let- 
ters to,  152,  493. 

War,  preparations  for,  150-3,  159. 

Warden,  Jesse,  962. 

Warren,  Edward,  540. 

Warren,  Edward  J.,  683,  968,  1003,  1083; 
letters  to,  850,  1170. 

Watchman,  Salisbury,  37. 

Watkins,  Dr 269. 

Watkins, ,  754,  1056,  1097,  1183. 

Watson,  E.  F.,  102-3,  109-10,  114-8:  let- 
ter from,  200;  letter  to,  103. 

Waugh,  H.  M.,  892,  938. 

Weaver,  John  B.,  481. 

Webb,  Thomas,  559,  568,  633,  646,  649, 
655,  737,  1273:  letters  to,  242,  688. 

Welborn,  E.  :\r.,  441. 

\Velborn,   .John   H.,   letter   to,    1084. 

Welborn,  Scott,  letter  to,  502. 

Welsh,  John,  letter  to,  930. 

Av'heeler,  Frank,  1258. 

Wheeler,  Jesse,  481,  772,  1114,  1123-4, 
1258;   letter  to,  770. 


1312 


IXDEX. 


Wheeler,    Jolin    II.,    oSG,    (i'JO,    709,    718; 

letters  to,  515,  582,   10(5!). 
Wheeler,  W.  H.,  475:  letter  to,  548. 
Whitaker,  J.  B.,  letter  to,  1131. 
Whitaker,  S.,  letter  to,  421-2. 
Whitaker,  Thomas  G.,  301. 
Whitaker,  W.,  letter  to,  910. 
Whitaker,  Wesley,  Jr.,  845. 
Whitaker,  Willis,  823,  845. 
White,  John,  391,  397,  412,  440-1. 
White,  William,  194-5. 
Whitehead,  William  B.,  641. 
Whitehurst,  J.  M.,  letter  to,  745. 
Whitford,  John  D.,   48,   538,   560-1,   569, 

609-12,    701-3,    8o0;    letters   to,    541, 

543,  1144. 
\\hiting,  W.  H.  C,  203,  216-7,  227-8,  266, 

310-6,  318-20,  327,  333. 
Whitlors,  Martha,  586. 
Whitlors,  M.  C,  586. 
\^^littlesey,    Eliphalet,    596 ;     letters    to, 

451,  533,  540. 
Wiggins,  Mason  L.,  335,  123?. 
Wilcox,  Thomas,  letters  to,   1089,   1280. 

Wilder,  letter  from,  642. 

Wilder,  S.  S.,  919. 

Wiley,  Calvin  H.,  508-9,   519,    1017;   let- 
ters from,  520,  833,  1080;  letters  to, 

47,  53,  387,  407,  512,  522,  1055,  1133, 

1146. 
Wiley,    Philip    A.,    210,    212,    270,    341, 

378,  850,  1291. 
Wiley,  Samuel  H.,  473,  481. 
Williams,  Dr.,  367-8. 
Williams,  J.  C,  573. 
Williams,  Jack,  367. 
Williams,  John,  letter  to,  989. 
Williams,    Nicholas,    242,    785,    787,    857, 

1082-3;  letters  to,   163,  232. 
Williams,  Samuel  A.,  letter  to,  961. 
Williams,  Samuel  T.,  1241-2. 
Wilmington  Dispatch,  650,  707. 
Wilmington  Journal,  letters  to,  869,  1267, 

1271,  1275. 
Wilson,  Henry,  464,  1208. 
Wilson,  John  H.,  letter  from,  586. 
^^  ilson,  X.  H.  D.,  letters  to,  384,  389,  411. 


Wilson,  Peter  A.,  821,  824. 

Wilson,  Thomas  J.,  732,  743,  1125;  let- 
ters to,  271,  1084,   1110. 

Wilson,  William  J.,  letter  to,  786. 

Winningham,  E.  H.,  183,  186;  letter  to, 
181. 

Winningham,  Gains,  letters  to,  148,  171, 
1182. 

Winslow,  Nathan,  229. 

Winslow,  Thomas  L.,   169,  179,  183,  187. 

Winstead,  Charles  S.,  335;  letter  to,  791. 

Winston,  Patrick  H.,  294,  466,  519,  521, 
538,  541,  543,  555-6,  558,  611,  634-5, 
721,  751,  761,  781,  812,  818,  848, 
858-9,  863,  986,  990;  letters  from, 
200,  519,  568,  655-6,  763;  letters  to, 
302,  513,  659,  708,  817,  1005,  1287. 

Wolsroth,  Fred,  letter  to,  1262. 

Wood,  John  C,  letter  to,  1036. 

Wood,  Landy,  letter  to,  928. 

Woodfin,  Nicholas  W.,  504-5,  550. 

Wolf,  Melvina,  letter  to,  933. 

Woollen,  C.  W.,  425,  478,  481:  letter  to, 
145. 

Wooten,  Council,  letter  from,  733. 

World,  New  York,  499;   letter  to,  1201. 

Wortli,  A.  C.  C,  letter  to,  1172. 

Worth,  Albert  G.,  226-7,  231-2,  267-8, 
291-2. 

Worth,  Barzillai  G.,  369-70,  374,  380,  399, 
425,  623-4,  841,  911,  12.50;  letters 
from,  210,  212,  222,  271,  992,  1238; 
letters  to,  158,  165,  167,  175,  264, 
387,  417,  442,  447-8,  912,  987,  1060, 
1094,  1136,  1148,  1161,  1263. 

Worth,  Rev.  Daniel,  110-3,  115,  145-6. 

Worth,  Daniel,  329,  530,  587. 

Worth',  David,  1250;  letters  to,  931,  1214. 

Worth,  David  G.,  162,  221-2,  250,  262-3, 
270,  308-10,  329,  361,  367-9,  371,  373, 
377-8,  382,  416,  598,  853,  1138,  1144, 
1250;  letters  from,  197,  202,  220, 
301,  353,  938,  1067;  letters  to,  144, 
155,  191,  247,  272,  294,  304,  312-3, 
316,  320,  326-7,  332,  336,  339,  348, 
386,  392,  746,  763,  936,  1058,  1135, 
1288,   1291. 


Index. 


1313 


Worth,  Mrs.  David  G.,  letter  to,  249. 
Worth,  H.  C,  letter  to,  1085. 
Worth,  Hiram,   1114,    1123-4. 
Worth,  J.  D.,  letter  from,  211. 
Worth,  James  M.,  letter  to,  170. 
Worth,  John,  1291. 

Worth,  John  M.,  165,  174,  194,  210,  247, 
250,  263,  265,  321-3,  326,  426,  454-5, 
739,  911,  1247,  1250;  letters  from, 
215,  228,  237,  348,  352,  357,  363-4; 
letters  to,  161,  236,  239,  246,  253, 
290,  326,  337,  353,  358,  449,  503,  910, 
1077,  1138,  1256. 
Worth,  Jonathan,  390-3,  668,  737,  739, 
757,  838-9,  847,  916,  956,  960,  985, 
1239,  1244,   1285-6. 

Address    to    Tenth    Congressional 

District,  37-44. 
Address  to  constituents,  February, 

1861,  129-33. 
Address     to      constituents.      May, 

1861,   135-7. 
Address  to  people  of  Xorth  Caro- 
lina, October,  1865,  436-40. 
Address  to  people  of  North  Caro- 
lina, December,  1865,  457-9. 
Circular  to  people  of  North  Caro- 
lina, 1866,  613-6. 
Candidacy  for  Congress,  1841,  35-7. 
Candidacy    for   Legislature,    1858, 

55-58. 
Candidacy    for    Legislature,    1862, 

169,  173. 
Candidacy     for     Governor,     1805, 

429-36. 
Defense,  154-5,  177-86,  757-60. 
Election   as    Treasurer,    188,    190, 

195,   202,  207,  216-7. 
Life,  v-xiii. 
Political  opinions,  50,  55,  133,  135, 

141-8,  157-8,  167,  383. 
Record,    013-6,    705-6,    750,    795-7, 
811,  814,  1105. 


Worth,   Mrs.   Jonatlian,    225,   363,    1285; 

letter  to,  308. 
Worth,  John,  1070. 
Worth,    Joseph   Addison,    135,    210,    221, 

317,  369-70,  374,  380,  382,  993,  1240, 

1250;    letters    from,    209,    225,    267, 

022;    letters   to,   256,   317,   333,   386, 

447,  566,  1288. 
Worth,  Lewis  W.,  1201;  letter  to,  1249. 
Worth,    Major,    1084,    1115,    1125;    letter 

to,  948. 
Worth,   Shubal  G.,    1-56-7,    173,    175,   246, 

255,  265,  291;   letter  from,  840. 
Worth,  Thomas  Clarkson,  209 ;  letters  to, 

141,  16.5,  167,  175. 
Worth,  William,  470,  480-1. 
Worth,  William  H.,  letter  to,  572. 
Worth,  Zeno,  1261. 
Worth  &  Co.,  letter  from,  346 ;  letters  to, 

331,  342. 
Worth  &  Daniel,  380;   letters  from,  200, 

270;    letters  to,  262,  815,  914,   927. 

Woub ,  814. 

Wren,   James,    742,   793,   815;    letters  to, 

670,  705. 
Wrignt,  Riley,  223. 
Wright,  William  A.,  558,  685,  722,  764, 

850,  1273;  letters  to,  917,  1018.  1111, 

1149. 
Wright,  W.  B.,  letter  to,  1134. 


Y. 


Yates,   William   J.,   letters   to,   275,   492, 

882,  1194. 
Yeates,  Jesse  J.,  513. 
York,  A.  J.,  916. 
York,  Tyre,  letter  from,  630;   letters  to, 

676,  988. 
Young,  Colonel,  329. 
Young,  John  A.,  554. 


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